Pork Pie

• 450 g Plain flour
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• 200 g Lard
• 200 ml Water
• 500 g Minced pork
• 250 g Pork belly, skin removed by butcher
• 1 tsp Black pepper
• ½ tsp Ground mace
• 1 Egg

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Lightly grease a deep 18 cm springform tin with a little of the lard, then chill the tin while you make the pastry.
2. Cut the pork belly into small dice, then mix it with the minced pork in a bowl. Add 1 tsp of the fine sea salt, the black pepper and the ground mace, then mix until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3. Put the water and 200 g lard into a saucepan and heat gently until the lard has melted, then bring just to a simmer. In a mixing bowl, combine the plain flour with the remaining 1 tsp fine sea salt, then pour in the hot lard mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms.
4. Tip the dough onto a work surface and knead briefly until smooth and pliable. Work while the dough is warm, as hot-water crust becomes harder to shape as it cools.
5. Reserve about one third of the dough for the lid. Roll the remaining dough out and line the chilled tin, pressing it up the sides so it is even with no thin spots.
6. Pack the pork filling firmly into the pastry case, pressing down to remove air pockets and leaving a little space at the top for the lid. Roll out the reserved dough to form a lid, then lay it over the filling and pinch the edges to seal.
7. Make a small steam hole in the centre of the lid. Beat the egg, then brush it all over the top and crimped edge for a glossy finish.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 160°C (320°F) and bake for a further 60 to 70 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden and the centre of the filling reaches 75°C (170°F) on a thermometer. If the top colours too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
9. Cool the pie in the tin for 30 minutes, then remove the ring and leave the pie to cool completely on a rack. Chill for at least 60 minutes before slicing so the filling sets cleanly.

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