In honour of the esteemed Mr Fawkes, the 'only man ever to enter parliament with honest intentions', I give you - pie.
Leek and Sausage Pie:
Here's a winter warmer for you - an easy-to-make, tasty pie. It's quick to cook, impressive to look at, and tastes excellent.
You will need:
600g good plain sausage meat;
4 small, 3 medium, or 2 large leeks;
1 500g pack of ready-made pastry, defrosted;
a rolling pin;
Flour and a clear, clean work surface;
1 10" (roughly 10") flan case, with a detatchable base;
1 saucepan;
1 mixing bowl;
salt;
pepper;
fresh basil;
2 eggs;
First, cut your pack of pastry in half. Half will go in the bottom of the flan case and a bit less than half over the top. Flour your working area and your rolling pin.
Now, with even strokes, always rolling away from you, roll the pastry out so that you have a piece that'll fill the flan case. Turn it over and around regularly to make sure that you roll it in each direction.
Now put it in the flan case. Push it in to the edges and once it's pushed in to the edges all the way around, push it down around very gently around the top, and you can then trim off any excess. Save it if you want to decorate the top of the pie. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pastry in the flan case a dozen or so times, so that it won't rise during the cooking process. Now put it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 190C.
Wash the leeks thoroughly. You'll need to cut them open and wash them under running water to get rid of all the soil that collects between the leaves. Cut the leeks lengthways in half, and then widthways every 2-3 inches. Boil some water in a saucepan, add a dash of salt, and when the water's boiling, put the leeks in. Cook them for around 3 minutes, drain the hot water, and fill the saucepan with cold water (keeping the leeks in it). This helps them to keep their colour.
Put the sausagemeat in a mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper and half a dozen basil leaves, which you've chopped finely. Now beat one of the eggs in a separate bowl, and add to the meat and mix the whole thing together very well. The egg is to bind the meat to the leeks.
Drain the leeks well and if necessary, dry them on a towel or in some kitchen roll. If they're too soggy they'll spoil the pie.
After 30 minutes take the flan case out of the fridge.
Take half the sausagemeat from the mixing bowl, and spread it in to the bottom of the flan case. Make sure you tuck it around the edge. Now, add the leeks. Spread them evenly across the meat. Finally, put the second layer of meat over the top. Now beat the second egg in to a bowl. You'll need this to create a seal between the two pieces of pastry. Dip your finger in the beaten egg, and dab it around the rim of the pastry where it'll touch the pie lid. Make sure you do it well so that it'll seal the base and lid together.
Put the pie to one side while you prepare the pastry top.
Roll the second piece of pastry out in the same way as the first - even strokes away from you, turning the pastry around and over. Once you're happy that it's big enough to fit on the top of the pie, drape it over. Tuck it down and press the edge together. Go around the pie with your finger, pressing and leaving a small fingertip impression pattern around the edge. This looks pretty(unless you have fat bloke fingers like me) and it makes sure the pie's sealed. Now, trim off the excess edging from the pie lid.
Glaze the top of the pie with the remainder of the beaten egg.
If you want to decorate the top, save scraps of leftover pastry after the rolling, cut out the pattern that you want - leaves, animals, or whatever takes your fancy - then when you glaze the pie with beaten egg before you cook it, stick the decorations to the top of the glazed pie, and then glaze them. Easy.
Put the pie in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 190C.
My recipe book suggests this should be served cold, but it's perfectly good warm. I'm having it tonight with a potato and parsnip mash, steamed kale and beans.
Drink with: I would think a frisky red.
Ease of cooking and preparation: 2/5 - Practice makes perfect with pastry. If this is your first time you may struggle, but don't be afraid to give it a go.
Mess Factor: 2/5 - Lots of washing up, dirty surfaces and the like
Leftover value: 5/5 - Cold pie is magical. Eat with cold beer and pickles.
PS - Those of you wondering what pie has to do with November 5th are right to be stumped. Short of any other connection, I decorated my pie with V's trademark sign from V for Vendetta
