Picnic pie

Recipe provided by Pippa Mattei

Ingredients

For the filling

• 350g fresh veal, minced
• 450g cooked ham (order ham off the bone from the deli counter)
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Good pinch ground nutmeg

For the pastry

• 170g white vegetable fat such as Trex
• 225ml water
• 450g plain flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 10ml powdered gelatine (2 tsp)
• 300ml stock of your choice

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C. 
2. Mince veal, 100g ham and onion in a processor. 
3. Season well, add the nutmeg and mix. 
4. Cut remaining ham into thin strips.
5. To make the hot water pastry, melt the fat in the water and bring to the boil. 
6. Sieve the flour with ½ tsp salt into a bowl. 
7. Add the boiling liquid and mix to a soft dough. 
8. Knead lightly, then roll out three-quarters of the pastry and use to line an 18-20cm round, loose-bottomed cake tin. (Keep the remaining pastry covered in the bowl) 
9. Place half the minced meat in the bottom, cover with strips of ham and the remaining mince. 
10. Press down evenly. Roll out the remaining pastry for a lid, brush the edges with water and position well. 
11. Press edges well together, trim and crimp and make a hole in the centre. 
12. Brush with beaten egg and cook in a for 30 mins. 
13. Reduce oven temperature to warm 160°C and continue to cook for 1¼ to 1½ hours, covering with foil when sufficiently browned.
14. Dissolve the gelatine in the stock and season well. As the pie cools, fill up with the stock through the central hole in the pie. 
15. Chill until firm then turn out and serve with a mixed salad, like a fresh coleslaw.