The Hobbit: Bombur’s Pork Pie and Salad

The Hobbit: Bombur’s Pork Pie and Salad

yield: 6       prep time: 25 minutes      total time: 1 hour 30 minutes and overnight to chill

Ingredients:

pastry:

• 350g all purpose flour, sifted
• 200ml water
• 75g unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp salt

filling:

• 380g ground pork
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground mace
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup diced onions
• 1/4 cup diced carrots
• 1 tbsp canola oil

jelly:

• 275ml chicken stock
• 1 leaf gelatin, bloomed

egg wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add canola oil.  Add diced onions, thyme, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until translucent.  Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine ground pork, nutmeg, mace, salt, and white pepper.  Add the sautéed onions.  Mix to combine.  Set aside until needed.
3. Heat water, butter, and salt to a simmer.  Add 3/4 of the liquid into your sifted all purpose flour.  Mix together until a ball forms.  Add more liquid if needed.  Work with the dough while it is still warm.  Take 3/4 of the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin until it fits into a 4 1/4″ spring form pan.  Gently place the rolled out dough into the springform pan.  Gently press it into the edges.  Trim off any excess while leaving a 1″ overhang.
4. Add your mixed pork into the springform pan.  Be sure not to pack or overfill your pan with the filling.  Set this aside as you roll of the rest of the dough for your top.  Roll out the rest of the dough to a circle with 5″ in diameter.  Place the round on top of the pork filling.  Gently press down the edges of the dough to fuse the two pieces together.  Crimp the dough however you please, I used my fingers as if I was making a pie.  Cut off any excess.  Punch a small circle in the center of the top to act as a vent while the pie bakes.  Brush with egg wash before baking.
5. Bake the pie in the 350F oven for approximately 35 – 40 minutes or until cooked through.  Let the pie cool before unmolding.  While cooling, bloom the gelatin in ice cold water for 5 minutes.  While blooming, heat the stock to a simmer.  Turn off the heat when it comes to a simmer.  Squeeze out the excess water from the gelatin and add to the warm stock.  Mix to dissolve.  Gelatin will melt above body temperature but it’s important not place it in very hot liquid or it will break the chains in the gelatin.
6. Pour the stock into the hole.  Chill in the refrigerator overnight.