Lots and Lots of Pork

If you like pork, in all its glorious forms, then this savory Four Pork Pie is going to be just what you want to try.

Four Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry Crust

Yes, it does take a bit of time to prepare and assemble, and quite a long while in the oven, but this is a spectacular event of a dinner. Or, it is just as good cold, or lukewarm, can easily be taken with, whether on a picnic (though no picnics for a long while in our climes), or sliced for a lunch to go with you, or whatever takes your fancy. It is large, so there will be leftovers, unless you have a large family or a few guests.

This one is made in the same manner as my Beef and Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry, though not packed into layers inside. It will hold together enough to slice when just made, but if you really want to see a lovely slice, wait to cut it chilled, the next day.

Four Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry Crust, Day 1 (just baked) and Day 2 (after cooling)

Cutting into the pie, still warm from the oven, made slices that were unable to stand upright. The fillings hold together well enough to place a slice on a plate, but not until the pie has chilled can it actually show the fillings in all their beauty, and stand upright with pride. The flavors are fabulous, either way. It's only a matter of choice.

Have the Filling Pre-Prepared

When making this pie, or any of these types of pie with a Hot Water Pastry Crust, the fillings must be all ready, before starting the pastry. This is because Hot Water Pastry is best worked while it is hot, and if you line your pan with the bottom pastry and do not have the filling ready to go in, then working with the top crust afterwards becomes far more difficult. Hot Water Pastry does not act at all like regular pie pastry crusts. It is quite warm and very soft, but with a slightly spongy feel. It does not lend itself to rolling out large and lifting to the pan as with a regular crust. It is (to me) much simpler to work the pastry up the pan once it is inside the pan. As the pastry cools, it becomes more difficult to work with, tending to tear more easily and stick together less well. Trust me; have your fillings already assembled.

Hot Water Crust Pastry, a la Paul Hollywood

The recipe for the Hot Water Pastry Crust, taken straight from watching The Great British Baking Show, consists of placing 150g lard and 200ml water into a saucepan and heating just to a simmer, when the lard will have melted. Granted, you do need a scale for this, though many measuring cups have milliliters marked on them. In a bowl, combine 450 grams (1 pound) of all-purpose flour and 100 grams of bread flour and rub in or cut in 75 grams of butter (⅓ cup). Once the lard and water are hot and melted, pour this into the flour mixture and mix with a spoon (it will be very hot at first) until most of the flour has been mixed in, then use hands (being careful not to get burned) to bring it all together in a somewhat spongy feeling ball. Use the pastry immediately.

A Part of the Filling You May Not Have on Hand

Hot Pepper Mustard Relish

I happened to have some of my Hot Pepper Mustard Relish on hand. I just love this stuff. It's so delicious, it could be eaten as a dip, though it is fantastic on sandwiches and so much more. Since it is so delicious, and a little sweet and a little savory, I felt it would be a match made in heaven for pork. I used a fair amount of it, slathering it over layers of the filling as it went into the crust. I used about ¾ cup of the relish, ¼-cup at a time over three layers. If you do not have this relish on hand, you can just skip it. OR, possibly a substitute could be a mix of honey mustard with sweet pickle relish. To my mind, these flavors would also work. Just as an FYI.

Four Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry Crust

Fills one 9-inch Spring-form Pan 

Four Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry

Hot Water Crust Pastry (above)
8-ounces leftover pork roast, rough-chopped
8-ounces diced ham
20-ounces bulk pork sausage, fried
5-ounces bacon, cut in ¼-inch bits, fried
1 large onion, chopped, fried golden
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, cooked, chopped
1 chunk butternut squash (same weight as the sweet potato), cooked, chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 large kale leaves, stems discarded, in chiffonade
3 pickled walnuts, chopped, optional
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¾ cup Hot Pepper Mustard Relish, optional
1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, whisked together for egg wash

Have ready a 9-inch spring-form pan.

Prepare all the meats, saute the onion and when nearly golden add the garlic for a few minutes more. Have the squash and sweet potato cooked in salted water and chopped coarsely. Place all these ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sage, rosemary and kale, along with the pickled walnuts, if available. Toss the mixture together to evenly distribute all the ingredients. Set aside.

Prepare the Hot Water Pastry as above noted. Use ⅔ of the pastry to press into and up the sides of the spring-form pan, ensuring there is an overhang. Work as quickly as possible, as it is easiest while warm, but make sure to patch any holes that may form. Press a third of the filling into the pastry lined pan, making sure it gets into the corners and edges. Spread about ¼-cup of the Hot Pepper Mustard Relish over this layer. Or use the suggested mix of Honey Mustard and sweet pickle relish or omit this step. Add another third of the filling mixture, pressing down evenly over the first layer, and well into the sides. Spread another ¼-cup of the Hot Pepper Mustard Relish over this layer (or one of the options). Press in the remaining filling evenly and spread with the last ¼-cup of the Hot Pepper Mustard Relish, or one of the options. 

Roll out the remaining ⅓ of the Pastry, large enough to hang over the edges of the pan. Brush just the top rim edge of the bottom crust with egg wash, then set the rolled pastry atop the pie, pressing the rim to seal the edges together. Trim away the overhang dough and set it aside to make decorative leaves or other forms  for the pie. Crimp the edges of the crust all around the pan, then make sure the crimped edges are all inside the pan, as later after partway through baking, the spring-form rim will be removed. If the crimped edge covers the top rim of the pan, the sides of the pan will not be easy to remove.

Cut a ½-inch hole in the center of the top crust. Roll out and cut decorative pieces for the top of the pie. Set them in place, then set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake the pie for about 70 to 75 minutes, and nicely golden. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees. At this point, the pie should be strong enough to remove the spring-form rim. Unlatch and carefully remove the rim and set aside. Brush all over the top and sides of the pastry thoroughly with the egg wash. Place back into the oven for 10 minutes, then remove once more to apply a second coat of egg wash, then return to oven for 10 more minutes.

Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, or if time permits, cool completely. Refrigerate if you prefer to serve it chilled the following day.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Great Big Savory Pie to Try

Like many, I have been watching "The Great British Baking Show" (or "Bake Off" in Britain), and it has impacted me in a really big way. Ever since Season 1, watching them make savory "picnic loaves" piqued my interest. I had never heard of such a thing as a great big savory pie that is chilled and taken on picnics. I can't even remember when the last time was that I went on a picnic. And, I'm not British. 

One of the criteria for these "pies" or "picnic loaves" is that it hold together when sliced, so it's easy to pick up and bite into. Of course, it will be cold, or at least cool, on a picnic, so it's best to make ahead. Though, with temps hereabouts in the minus numbers, there will be no picnics outside soon! So instead, I tried this out yesterday to eat for dinner. 

Beef & Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry

Conceptually, it should be made ahead and eaten cooled, if not chilled. But after working on this pretty much all afternoon yesterday, it was our dinner, and it was hot, having been taken from the oven only half hour prior. Still, it held together quite well, considering it had no chance to cool. It looked pretty and appetizing, with the layers I created. 

And the Crust!

Paul Hollywood used a Hot Water Pastry to make this sort of pie. And in all my cooking career spanning nearly 48 years, I had never even heard of a hot water pastry, so I was terribly intrigued. I must have read over 25 recipes for this sort of pie. Most of them used a hot water pastry, because it is stronger and holds up better. It gets crisp on the bottom, which was another criteria for these kind of pies on that baking show, despite being filled with things that could make it soggy. In many of the recipes, people commented that the crust had no earthly reason for being other than holding the fillings together while it baked and was sliced, as it had no particular flavor. 

Beef & Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry

I don't know about that, or maybe my husband and I are just "crust lovers," but I found it a delightful addition to the whole outcome. My husband gave this pie a "Five-Thumbs-Up!" And I would agree. And there wasn't a scrap of crust left on either of our plates, I can tell you. Considering that in the show I watched called "Masterclass," Paul Hollywood made his Hot Water Pastry with the addition of butter, "just to make it taste a bit better," paraphrasing, I would say he meant it to be eaten. I wrote down the instructions as I watched the show, and made the recipe just as he did, and it turned out perfectly, both to work with and to bake. And I didn't take a single photo while making this crust. Possibly it was just my total absorbed focus on something so new. Possibly it was that my hands were mightily greasy while working with it. But, no photos resulted from this first attempt.

Hot Water Crust Pastry, a la Paul Hollywood

The recipe for the Hot Water Crust Pastry, taken straight from watching the TV show, consists of placing 150g lard and 200ml water into a saucepan and heating just to a simmer, when the lard will have melted. Granted, you do need a scale for this, though most measuring cups have milliliters marked on them. In a bowl, combine 450 grams of all-purpose flour and 100 grams of bread flour and rub in or cut in 75 grams of butter (⅓ cup). Once the lard and water are hot and melted, pour this into the flour mixture and mix with a spoon (it will be hot at first) until most of the flour has been mixed in, then use hands to bring it all together in a somewhat spongy-feeling ball. 

This pastry does not lend itself to rolling out to any great size, so to line a pan, first divide out about ⅓ of the pastry and set aside, then use the rest to pat or roll into a disc and set into a very well greased (with lard) spring-form pan, working it up the sides until there is at least a ½-inch overhang all around the top rim of the pan. Press the dough to close any holes or tears. Fill the crust as soon as it's ready in the pan. This means have all your filling ingredients all ready! Once you've layered all the fillings in and patted it firmly down, roll out the remaining pastry into a disc slightly larger than the pan diameter. Brush the top rim of the inner crust with egg wash, so the top crust will adhere properly. Carefully roll the top crust over your rolling pin and unroll over the top of the pie. Press into place, then trim the edges, having bottom crust and top pressed together, right at the top edge of the pan. Then crimp with fingers or a fork. Cut a hole in the center of the top crust to release steam. Use any scraps to cut out leaf shapes for the top of the pie.

The "Tin"

In the show I watched, and on some others throughout this series, they used a pretty, fluted, oval mold of a type used in Victorian times. Paul used one when he made the Christmas Leftovers Pie on the show. I was fascinated by this tin, partly because it is so pretty and results in such a pretty and decorative pie. Partly, I suppose just because I love new things and am acquisitive ( as well as inquisitive). 😀

Fluted Game Pie Mold

So I started hunting online to see if I could locate one, and wow, are they expensive. Meanwhile, when I decided to make my first attempt yesterday, all I had are spring-form pans. And, these work just fine. At first I thought of using my 8-inch pan, a true 8-inches in diameter. The more I looked at all the filling items I had going, the more I thought that a 9-inch would be far better, so 9-inch is what I went with. I was using 2 pounds of meat, plus vegetable layers, plus veggies added into the meat layers. The 9-inch pan turned out perfect for this particular size of pie. It can be made in a 10-inch spring-form pan as well, though it will be less tall, and possibly the cooking times would need adjustment.

Meanwhile, as I told my husband about the pretty, fluted Victorian style tin, called a "Fluted Game Pie Mold" or "Pate Mold," he said he would order one for me, if I sent him the links, so I happily passed on the links to him.  He went on to also get me a second one, in an oval shape without the fluted sides; more utilitarian, but simple to use, that link found here.

There is another option out there, for a smooth sided version of this kind of oval mold, and there is also a mini version that holds six mini pies and is adjustable. I liked the mini version of that kind, just because it gave options for the size of pie made. 

Beef & Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry

Serves 8 to 10

Beef & Pork Pie in Hot Water Pastry

1 recipe (above) Hot Water Pastry Crust, fitted into a greased 9-inch springform pan
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1 sweet potato (about 7.5 ounces/215 grams)
1 - 2 small white potatoes (total weight about 7.5 ounces / 215 grams)
4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
12 ounces ground pork (356 g)
5 ounces bacon, minced or ground (145 g)
2 stalks celery, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
1 pound ground beef (450 g)
1 medium carrot, shredded
1½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 jar (12 ounces / 355 ml) whole roasted red peppers, drained
1.75 ounces / 50 grams fresh spinach leaves
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour, divided
1 egg +1 tablespoon water for egg wash

In a saucepan, place the sweet potato(es) and white potato(es) and cover with water to at least an inch above the tops of the potatoes. Bring to a boil, add in 2 teaspoons of the salt and lower to a simmer. Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are easily pierced with a knife. Drain and set aside. Once cooled, peel or don't peel, as preferred, then slice across thinly. Set aside until needed.

Pour out the roasted red peppers into a colander and allow to drain thoroughly. Set aside until needed.

In a medium skillet, over medium low heat, fry the ground/minced bacon until nearly crisp. Strain out the bacon to paper toweling, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add in the onion and ½ teaspoon of the salt and fry until golden, then divide the onions evenly between two mixing bowls.

Add the ground pork to the pan and fry, adding in ½ teaspoon of the salt, ½ the minced garlic, with the celery and sage. If there is too much liquid in the pan, use paper toweling to blot it out. When no pink remains to the meat, sprinkle with two teaspoons of the flour and mix until no white flour remains. Pour this mixture into one of the bowls with onion, add in the fried bacon and mix well. Cool completely.

Cooked potatoes - drained red peppers - pork mixture - beef mixture - pie in oven

Return the skillet to the heat and add in the ground beef, along with 1 teaspoon salt, the remaining garlic, carrot, and rosemary. Cook, breaking up well, until the meat loses its pink color, again blotting with paper toweling if there is liquid in the pan. Sprinkle on the remaining flour and stir in, then turn the meat out into the second mixing bowl with the remaining half of onion. Stir well. Cool completely.

Wash the spinach leaves, then place the wet leaves into the skillet and toss until wilted. Drain off any remaining water.

Preheat the oven to 345 or 350 degrees, or 320 on Convection, for more even browning.

Place the ground beef mixture into the prepared crust, pressing well into the corners and making the meat a neat, level layer. Set the white potato slices over top, in a single layer. Over top, lay the red bell peppers, opening them flat. Next, layer in the ground pork mixture, again leveling the layer and pressing down to make the layers nicely compact. Over top place the sweet potato slices in a single layer, then set the spinach leaves over all. Press down neatly. Cover with the top crust, pressing into place against the lower pastry edge. Trim the top edges of pastry neatly with the rim of the pan, then crimp with fingers or a fork, keeping the edges inside the pan. Cut a ½-inch hole in the center of the top crust. Any remaining scraps of dough can be rolled out and cut into shapes to decorate the top of the crust.

Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 70 to 75 minutes, and nicely golden. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 375 degrees, or 350 on Convection. Whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. At this point, the pie should be strong enough to remove the springform rim. Unlatch and carefully remove and set aside. Brush all the top and sides of the pastry with the egg wash. Place back into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, removing once more after 10 minutes to apply a second coat of egg wash, then return to oven for the time remaining.

Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing, or if time permits, cool completely. Refrigerate if you prefer to serve it chilled the following day.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.