Outdoor dining feasts the old-fashioned way - July 2009
A day in the country or by the seaside, armed only with sandwiches and a bottle of warm “pop”, and maybe a packet of crisps – the ones with the little twisted blue packet of salt at the bottom of the bag! These are my earliest and happiest memories – the smell of the leather upholstery in the back of the Morris Minor, the excitement of where the destination would be and the tantalising thought of delving into the packets of sandwiches lovingly wrapped in greaseproof paper, along with a home-baked plate pie.
There is something very elemental about eating sur la herbe – outdoors; flavours take on new depths, tactile eating satisfies our need to relax and enjoy ourselves without the constraints of “formal dining”. I remember the build up to a promised picnic; the buttering of mounds of crusty bread, the mashing of freshly boiled eggs with the mustard and cress, the wicker hamper being brought out and packed with an old damask cloth and cutlery. My mum and dad were great picnic adventurers, and picnics took all sorts of guises – a long day treck to the seaside, a walk in the country with visits to little old stone churches or a simple picnic on the lawn in the summer.
One of the most requested picnic delights that my sister and I asked to be packed were pies and pasties! My mum was, and still is an extremely good pastry chef, and we were treated to a vast array of traditional and seasonal pies on our family picnics. Meat and tattie plate pie, egg and bacon pie, raised pork pies, chicken and ham pies, Cornish pasties, cheese and onion pasties, seasonal fresh fruit pies such as apple and bilberry – all encased in light crumbly short crust or hot water pastry, happy memories of a slower and more relaxed pace of life!
Pies are quintessential British fare and are designed exactly for the benefits of a picnic – easy portable food where the wrapping is the pastry itself, what can be easier or more convenient. With the exception of the raised pork pies and chicken and ham pies, all of the pies can be made on the morning of the adventure or the night before. All that is needed to supplement these crusty and crumbly delights are some pickles, chutneys and mustard with fresh assorted salads, fruit, crisps, bottles of pop and a flask of tea!
This month we have a selection of traditional and easy pies, pasties and tarts that can be made for your picnics. Flaming June gives us the chance to pack up those hampers, dust off those rugs, indulge in some fabulous British picnic food, and head for the hills. Oh yes, Remember to pack those umbrellas as well as the ever-hopeful sun hats!
Pie Snippets, or a Slice of Pie History!
Medieval pastry was known as “huff paste” and was eaten by mainly servants – their employers would discard it as it was seen as “packaging” for the tasty morsels that was the filling. The flour was stronger than ours of today and suet along with hot water was often mixed with it to make a very robust pastry case, no wonder the gentry discarded it! The huff paste was moulded into a variety of shapes and sizes, called “coffyns” or “coffers”. A benefit of these early pies was that the paste (pastry) preserved the meat filling for up to 3 months if sealed with clarified butter. Pastry gradually became more refined and pies and tarts became lighter and more elegant, with sweet egg tarts and fruit pies making an appearance by the end of the seventeenth century. Eating “Humble Pie” – an expression which we all use from time to time; during the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries, the expression was used in its literal sense. Umble pie was made for the servants and those “below the stairs”. Umble pie was made from “umbles” or “numbles”, which was deer offal – the prize cuts obviously making their way to the tables “upstairs”! Therefore, to eat Humble or Umble Pie, was to show your position in life.
Karen Booth - Country Kitchen July 2009
Old English Posh Picnic Raised Chicken and Ham Pie
 I will not pretend that this pie is easy or quick to make, however, if you want to impress your friends or family with a sensational "posh" English raised pie then this is the recipe for you! Tender chunks of chicken with pork sausage meat and ham are encased in crisp hot water crust pastry, liberally seasoned with spices and herbs; this pie makes a simply stunning centrepiece for any Glyndebourne style picnic event or for a special celebratory cold buffet, such as weddings, christenings or anniversaries. The pastry used in this pie recipe is hot water crust pastry, which is a direct descendant of "coffer" paste that was used to encase and protect meat whilst it cooked centuries ago – the pies then being called “coffyns”! The pastry is shaped by hand whilst it is still warm, and is excellent for using with intricate pie moulds - the technique is known as "hand raised" and pies made this way are called "raised pies". The pastry is easy to make, but MUST be kept warm whilst you are using it - I keep mine warm over a pan of simmering water. This pastry is excellent for all types of traditional raised pies, such as Game pies, Pork pies and Veal and Ham pies. (Preparation time includes the one day needed for the pie to cool down and then for jellied stock to be added, and then allowing for the jellied stock to set.) SERVES 8 -10
Ingredients:
HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY
1 lb plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 ounces butter
4 ounces lard or white vegetable fat
4 ounces milk and 4 ounces water, mixed in equal proportions
PIE FILLING
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb good quality pork sausage, casings discarded and crumbled into pieces
8 ounces chopped pancetta or chopped ham or bacon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage leaf
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leave
1/2 teaspoon ground mace or ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 lemon, rind of, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
butter or lard, for greasing
1 egg, beaten for glaze
JELLIED STOCK
1/2 pint vegetable or chicken stock
11 g sachet gelatine powder
Method:
HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre. Place the water, butter and lard into a saucepan, when the butter and lard has melted bring it all to the boil. Take off the heat.
Pour the mixture into the centre of the flour. Working very quickly, mix with a wooden spoon. Then knead with hands to produce a smooth and elastic dough. Allow to rest in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes (This pastry must be used whilst still warm, otherwise it will become brittle and hard to mould. I keep mine in a small pan over gently simmering water). Proceed with your recipe, as below.
PIE FILLING
Place all the pie-filling ingredients in to a large mixing bowl, including the herbs, spices and seasonings. Mix thoroughly with your hands - it's messy, but it's the best way to get everything well amalgamated!
JELLIED STOCK
Heat the chicken or vegetable stock. Mix the gelatine with a little cold water until it is spongy and smooth, gradually add the hot stock to the gelatine and mix thoroughly. Set aside until it is needed.
Making the pie:
Grease an 8" round loose-bottom pie/cake tin or a special decorative pie mould - grease it liberally with melted butter or lard. 13. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 3.
Take two-thirds of the warm pastry, form into a large, flat disc and put in the bottom of the tin or pie mould. Gently press and mould until the pastry covers the base and sides of the tin, keeping it as even as possible.
Fill the pastry pie case with the pie filling mixture - packing it down well. Moisten the top edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut a circle or oblong to fit the top of the tin. Place over the filling and seal the edges, without pressing the pastry down too heavily. Trim the edges. Make a hole in the top centre of the pie and use any pastry trimmings to make pastry leaves and decorative trimmings. Press these onto the top of the pie and glaze the whole thing with beaten egg.
Now lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for 2 hours, then remove from the oven. Leave the pie for 30-45 minutes to firm up, then turn up the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Carefully remove the pie from the tin and brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg. If the sides show any sign of bulging, encircle the pie with a band of silicone paper (parchment) and tie with string.
Return the pie to the oven and as the pastry continues baking it will firm up (if you used the paper, you will gradually be able to peel it away, but add a little more egg to the unglazed parts) and all the pastry will brown – it will take approximately 30 minutes. As the top will brown before the sides, it will need to be protected with foil while the sides finish browning.
When the pie is a glowing golden colour, remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cover and chill.
Meanwhile have the jellied stock warmed slightly (by sitting it in a bowl of hot water), then cool it to the syrupy stage and pour it into the pie very gradually through a funnel, in to the centre steam hole (as much as it will take). Chill again to give the jelly a chance to set and then – believe it or not – it's ready to serve!
Serve with assorted fresh salads, pickles, mustard, chutney and relishes. Will pie keep for up to 5 days in a cool place or the fridge. This freezes very well, defrost overnight, sitting the pie on a wire rack to avoid the pastry becoming soggy. Wrap the pie for a picnic in greaseproof paper and cut the pie into slices when you arrive at your destination.
Wild Salmon Summer Herb and Vegetable Pie
 Now is the time to celebrate all that is good about British summer produce; here we have a recipe which uses a selection of lovely seasonal ingredients, all destined to make our ultimate summer pie an absolute winner! Fresh wild salmon, garden peas, spring onions, new potatoes and a medley of summer herbs – all encased in buttery short crust pastry! This pie is sophisticated enough to grace any fine dining table, but is also a wonderful addition for the summer picnic basket. Serve this pie with baby new potatoes, summer salad leaves and a bottle of chilled English wine. NB: It might seem time consuming to bake the pastry case blind before adding the filling, but it really does make a difference to achieving a crispy crust, instead of the usual soggy bottom! Serves 6 to 8 people.
Ingredients:
Pastry:
275g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
100g butter, chilled and cubed
100g hard cooking margarine or white vegetable fat, chilled and cubed
¼-teaspoon salt
1 large free-range egg yolk
1 large free-range egg, beaten for the glaze
Filling:
200g cream cheese
2-3 tablespoons crème fraiche
Juice of half a lemon
2 large free-range eggs, beaten
2 large free-range egg yolks
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil
1 large spring onion, trimmed and chopped, including green
100g fresh garden peas
4 new potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
300g fresh salmon steaks, cut into ½” cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200C/180C Fan or Gas Mark 6. Grease and line a 26cm loose-based tart/flan tin.
Blanch the peas for 1 minute in boiling water, drain and put to one side to cool. Boil the new potato cubes in boiling water for about 5 minutes, until soft but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside to cool.
Whiz the flour, butter, margarine and salt together in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. (Alternatively, rub the fats into the flour with your fingertips or with a pastry blender.) Add the egg yolk and about 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water, pulse until mixture just comes together. Knead lightly in a floured board. Cut off one third and wrap both pieces in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the larger piece and line the tart/flan tin with the pastry, trimming off the excess pastry that hangs over the edges, reserve these for decorating the top of the pie. Line the pastry with baking paper and add some baking beans. Bake blind for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the paper and the baking beans, and brush some of the beaten egg (reserved for the glaze) over the base of the pastry case – cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, crème fraiche, lemon juice, beaten eggs, egg yolks, fresh herbs and the chopped spring onion. Mix well and then season to taste.
Place the par-boiled potatoes and peas into the base of the pastry case. Arrange the fresh salmon pieces evenly over the top of the potatoes ad peas. Pour the cream cheese and herb filling mixture over the top of the salmon and vegetables, smoothing so that the filling is evenly covered.
Take the remaining piece of pastry from the fridge and roll it out to fit the top of the pie, seal the edges together and make 2 or 3 slits in the top for the steam to escape. Roll the pastry trimmings and cut out shapes, I used fish shapes, but leaves are also attractive! Brush the beaten egg over the top of the pie and then place the pastry shapes on top, brushing with beaten egg once again.
Bake the pie on a pre-heated baking tray for 40 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is cooked; to check when the filling is cooked, insert a skewer in the centre, the skewer should come away clean and feel hot to the touch.
Cool the pie for 1 hour in the tin before serving. The pie can be made the night before a picnic, and kept in the fridge or a cool pantry overnight. Transport the pie to the picnic in the tart/flan tin resting on top of a wooden breadboard, and don’t forget the knife!
Ploughman's Cheese and Onion Pasties
 A perennial favourite with my vegetarian friends and family, but even the meat eaters grab these tasty little cheese and onion pasties! I like to use a mixture of extra strong mature Cheddar and a creamy Double Gloucester cheese in these. I also use ready-made puff pastry for ease and convenience. 6 to 8 pasties.
Ingredients:
500g ready-made puff pastry
150g extra strong mature Cheddar cheese, cut into 1”/2.5cm cubes
150g Double Gloucester cheese, cut into 1”/2.5cm cubes
200g cream cheese with garlic and herbs
8 spring onions, washed and finely chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Empty the cream cheese into a mixing bowl and loosen it by mixing it with a fork for a minute or two. Add the cubed cheese and chopped spring onions, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roll the puff pastry out on a well-floured board, then take a saucer or small plate and cut out circles for the pasties. I managed to get eight pasties out of the pastry using a 6”/15cm saucer.
Brush the beaten egg around the edge of pastry circles, and then spoon the filling on to half of the pasty. Bring the other side of the pastry over and using a fork, press the edges together, making a tight seal to stop the filling leaking. Make two or three cuts on top of the pasty and then brush with beaten egg to glaze. Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the egg glaze.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until puffed up and golden brown – changing the tray over from the top of the oven to the bottom half way through cooking time. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Eat these pasties warm or at room temperature, they can be re-heated for a minute or two in a hot oven. Serve with chutney, pickles, salad, new potatoes or by themselves as picnic food.
Mrs Miggin's Pie Shoppe - Old English Bacon and Egg Pie!
 This is such an easy and simple recipe to make, and yet the result is full of flavour, tasty and a real British classic. You will find this pie on the menu in Britain for lunch, afternoon tea, supper, as a snack, for a picnic, in a lunch box and I am suggesting this recipe would be great for Brunch as well. This can be made ahead and freezes beautifully - defrost overnight, on a cooling rack so the pastry does not get soggy! Please note, this has no spices in it - although I have suggested optional dried herbs. It is a classic, simple British recipe, where good free-range eggs and dry cure bacon are the leading lights, along with crisp, shortcrust pastry! Who is Mrs Miggins? She runs that famous Olde English Pie Shoppe in the classic television series Black Adder - I love that programme! SERVES 4
Ingredients:
Shortcrust Pastry
8 ounces plain flour
salt
4 ounces margarine
2 tablespoons cold water, to mix, approximate
Filling
8 ounces smoked streaky bacon, rinds removed and chopped
3 large eggs, beaten or 4 medium eggs
salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 pinch mixed herbs (optional)
milk or egg, to glaze
Method:
Heat oven to 190ºC, 370ºF, Gas Mark 5. Line a 20 cm (8 inch) ovenproof plate or foil baking dish.
Mix flour and salt in basin, rub in fat.
Using a knife to cut and stir, mix with cold water to form a stiff dough.
Turn dough on to a floured surface and knead lightly.
Roll out and use as required below.
Divide the pastry into 2, roll out and line the plate.
Grill or fry bacon until crisp - drain off the fat. Add bacon to the beaten eggs along with the seasoning and herbs if used.
Pour mixture onto pastry, dampen edges and cover with the second round of pastry.
Seal edges and decorate with pastry leaves. Make a hole in the centre and brush with beaten egg or milk.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes until golden brown.
Serve warm or cold.
Can be frozen for up to 1 month - defrost overnight on a cooling tray or rack. Can be re-heated in a slow oven if required.
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