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Ingredients

  • 9 eggs
  • 750g block shortcrust pastry
  • butter
  • 1kg lean pork mince
  • 300g pork and herb sausages, skinned
  • 250g unsmoked back bacon, diced
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
  • 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp sage, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten to glaze
  • to serve piccalilli or mustard

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook for 7 minutes then drop in a bowl of ice-cold water. Cool completely then peel. Trim the end off each. 1 Roll out ¾ of the pastry. Keep the rest for the lid.

  • STEP 2

    Use the pastry to line a lightly buttered 22cm springform cake tin, leaving the extra pastry overhanging.

  • STEP 3

    Put the mince, sausages, bacon, fennel, and herbs in a large bowl. Add 2 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp ground black pepper. Mix really well with clean hands. Fry a tiny piece of the mix to check the seasoning.

  • STEP 4

    Add half the pork mix to the lined tin, and use the side of your hand to make a dip for the eggs.

  • STEP 5

    Arrange the eggs on top in a circle, gently pushing them down into the meat, then add the rest of the meat, press it down around the eggs and gently level it off.

  • STEP 6

    Roll out the rest of the pastry and cut to fit the top of the pie. Trim the pastry, you can freeze the trimmings to use again.

  • STEP 7

    Crimp the edges and make a hole for steam. Put on a baking tray and cook for 1 hour 20 minutes (check that a skewer pushed into the centre of the pie through the steamhole comes out piping hot). Cool completely in the tin then chill overnight. Release the springform carefully, making sure the pastry doesn’t snag on the catch of the tin. Serve with piccalilli.

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