Pork and Olive Pies

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Hail Britannia! From the land that gave us Scrooge, Hogwarts and “Love, Actually” comes a scrumptious, savory treat.

Makes 12 small pies

Ingredients: Pastry

7 tablespoons lard
4 ½ tablespoons ice water
1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 ½ cups flour
6 tablespoons fine corn meal
Pinch of salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

Ingredients: Filling

1 ½ tablespoons flour
1/3 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup beef stock
¾ cup water
½ tsp Maggi sauce
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 lb pork loin
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
8 large green Italian olives
Parsley, enough for ¼ cup minced
2 tablespoons bacon fat
¼ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions: Prepare the pastry

  1. Put the flour, cornmeal and pinch of salt into a small bowl. Cut the butter and lard in ½ tablespoon slices, into the bowl, and toss to coat each piece with flour. Put in the freezer for 30-60 minutes.
  2. Working quickly so that the fats do not have a chance to warm up: pour flour mixture into food processor, process for 10 seconds, or until butter and lard pieces are no longer visible.
  3. Add 4 ½ tablespoons of ice water. Process for another 10 seconds, until mixture looks like coarse cornmeal. If the weather is dry, a little more water may be necessary.
  4. Pour mixture onto a clean countertop. Separate out 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and, pressing down, slide it out with the heel of one hand to form a long “flake”. Scrape up flakes into a pile.
  5. When all of the mixture has been formed into flakes, compress them into a rectangular block. Pound with your palm, and reshape the block a few times to achieve a smoother surface. Place into plastic bag and refrigerate at least 60 minutes.
  6. Roll out dough thinly into a rectangular shape, and cut into twelve 6-inch squares. If not using immediately, stack, separated with wax paper, and store in the refrigerator.

Instructions: Prepare the filling

  1. Grind or chop the pork coarsely. Peel the onion and chop finely. Peel and mince the garlic. Pit the olives and chop coarsely. Mince the parsley.
  2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat until very hot.  Add the pork and cook, stirring and scraping to break up the meat, until well browned and the liquid has evaporated, 10-15 minutes.
  3. Add the bacon fat to pan, and reduce to medium.
  4. Add the onion and cook with the meat until the onion is translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
  6. Add the wine and lemon juice, and simmer until almost evaporated.
  7. Sprinkle the flour over the meat and cook, stirring and scraping, until the mixture is thick and pasty, about 2 minutes more.
  8. Gradually stir in the chicken and beef stocks and water and bring to a simmer.  
  9. Season with the Maggi and Worcestershire sauces, and black pepper.
  10. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
  11. Remove from heat and stir in the olives and parsley.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. The filling should be a tad saltier than usual, as it will be enclosed in pastry.
  12. Let the filling cool completely before filling pies.

Instructions: Final baking

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Beat together the egg and tablespoon of Dijon mustard.
  2. Place a dough square diagonally on a lightly floured surface. Spoon about 3 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the lower half, leaving about ½ inch of edge exposed. Moisten all edges of the dough, then fold upper half over lower half to form a triangular pie. Crimp edges together to seal. Place on baking sheet covered with parchment. Repeat with all remaining pies.
  3. Brush the egg and mustard mixture lightly over each pie. With a small knife, poke 3 small slits into the top of each pie.
  4. Bake 25-30 minutes, until well browned.
  5. Let cool 5 minutes, and serve with mustard (optional).