Lois Daish's Meatloaf Pie

This delicious pie filled with light and flavoursome minced pork and beef can be eaten while still warm from the oven or when it is cool. It can also be refrigerated for up to two days, but is not intended to be reheated or frozen. Serve with a tomato and cucumber salad, mashed potato or bread, and a bowl of chutney or relish.

If you double the filling recipe, you can use half to make meatballs, which can be browned in oil, then smothered with a can of chopped tomatoes and simmered for half an hour. Serve with pasta shapes, rice, mashed potato or bread.

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

Short Pastry

• 300g standard flour
• 175g firm butter, diced
• 6 tablespoons ice-cold water

Filling

• 300g minced pork
• 300g minced beef
• one and half cups fresh coarse breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• one and a half teaspoons salt
• good grinding black pepper
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Thai fish sauce
• grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
• a few sprigs thyme, chopped
• a few sprigs parsley, chopped

Method

To make the pastry
Put the flour and diced butter into a processor and whiz until it resembles breadcrumbs. Tip out into a bowl and sprinkle with the water. Use a fork to mix the water through the butter and flour, then use your hand to press into a ball. Wrap in plastic and set aside for 20 minutes.

To make the filling
Put the minced meats into a large bowl and add the other ingredients. Use you hands (or a wooden spoon) to mix together to make a light moist mixture.

To make the pie
Preheat oven to 200C. Divide the pastry in half and roll out each half into a circle to fit a standard round pyrex pie dish. Press one half of the pastry into the pie dish. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry. Brush a little milk around the edge of the pastry. Lay the second circle of pastry on top of the filling and press onto the pastry rim to make a firm seal. Trim edges of pastry and then crimp using fingers or fork. Brush top of pastry very lightly with a little milk, and cut a few small slashes with a knife. Bake pie at 200C for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 150C and bake for another 45 minutes.