recipes1

This is a simple lattice style pie that is meant to be eaten on picnics - but which is lovely for tea too! It is usually eaten cold.
Ingredients:
12 oz of ready made short crust pastry
3 hard boiled eggs
8 rashers of grilled bacon
8 oz sausage meat
1 beaten egg
5 fl oz milk
black pepper and salt to taste
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200'C / 400'F
2. Cut of piece of pastry about 2/3rds of the amount. Roll it out on a floured surface and when thin, line a pie dish or oven proof deep plate with it.
3. Slice up the boiled eggs. Chop up the bacon into small pieces. Pull the sausage meat into small pieces and mix the eggs and meat together in a bowl.
4. Beat an egg with the milk and then pour this mixture over the meat/boiled egg mixture in the bowl.
5. Season with salt and pepper (to taste) then place the mixture onto the pastry covering the base and sides of the pie dish / deep plate.
6. Roll out the remaining 1/3rd of the pastry and cut it into long thin strips about ½ inch wide. Lay these strips across the top of the pie filling to make a 'Criss Cross' or lattice pattern. Seal the ends of the strips to the edges of the pie sides with a little water or egg.
7. Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes.
8. After 10 minutes, leave the pie in the oven, but turn the heat down to gas mark 4, 180'C / 350'F for another 25 to 30 minutes.
9. Allow to cool and serve cold.
This is delicious with most pickles and works very well with a salad.

SPECIAL GRAVY

It does take a little time to prepare so make it in advance and keep it in a gravy boat and heat before serving.
Ingredients:
50g or 2oz of beef dripping
1 finely chopped onion
2 large rashers of bacon that has had its rind removed
2 tablespoons of dry sherry
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 finely chopped carrot
50g or 2 oz plain flour
1 bouquet garni
1 tablespoon tomato puree
600ml or 1 pint of beef or lamb or pork stock (use stock cubes).
1 teaspoon of coarse ground black pepper
Method:
1. Chop the bacon into small pieces
2. Melt the dripping in a saucepan and keep it liquid.
3. Now add the onion pieces, bacon pieces and carrot pieces and fry in the dripping in the saucepan until the onions are light brown. This should take about 10 minutes maximum on a medium heat.
4. Add the sherry and the vinegar and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Carefully blend in the flour, adding a little at a time to prevent lumps forming, and stir until this mixture goes brown. This will take about 10 minutes.
6. Pour in half of the stock, stirring all the time. Keep heating on a medium heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.
7. Bring the mixture to the boil and add the bouquet garni leaving the pan to simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
8. Stir in the tomato puree, the other half of the stock and the pepper. Add salt to taste.
9. When you are happy with the taste then strain through a gauze or plastic (never a metal) sieve to remove any lumps / the garni / carrot and onion pieces.
10. Let the resulting gravy stand in a dish or gravy boat and pour off any fat or grease from the surface. Keep warm (do not cook) and place in the gravy boat for serving at the table.