Best Bacon and Egg Pie
Serves 8
Best Ever Bacon and Egg Pie Photo: Julie Biuso
Best-ever Bacon and Egg Pie
Serves 8
Ingredients
400g ready-made puff pastry, thawed
5 medium (size 6) free-range eggs plus 2 yolks **note a change from earlier recipe
¼ tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
125ml (½ cup) cream
250g streaky bacon, rind removed
24 fresh sage leaves
1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tsp water and a pinch of salt for glazing pie
Method
1. Roll out the pastry thinly and line half of it into a shallow pie plate (23cm diameter x 4-5cm deep). Beat the whole eggs and yolk with the sea salt, pepper, nutmeg and cream. Line the pastry with one-third of the bacon rashers, then pour in one-third of the egg mixture. Make two more layers, distributing the sage leaves evenly between the layers.
2. Cover with pastry and use some of the egg mixture to stick the bottom and top pieces of pastry together. Crimp the edges. Make a hole in the center of the pie for the steam to escape. Chill the pie before baking (bake it straight from the refrigerator).
3. Preheat oven to 200°C. Put a baking tray on the oven rack where you will put the pie. Brush the glaze over the top of the pastry. Cook for around 30 minutes, or until the pastry is very well browned. If it needs more cooking, but the pastry is well browned, lower the heat to 180°C and drape the top with tin foil. Cool before serving.
Recipe Notes
I have suggested ½ cup of cream, which gives the pie creaminess, but for a super-rich treat, increase the cream to 250ml (1 cup).
Look for dry bacon, not a packet of bacon swimming in liquid, with some fat that will provide sweetness and moisture.
The pie calls for quality puff pastry. You don’t have to make it yourself but what you buy must be made with butter. Avoid supermarket ‘no frills’ puff pastry.
If you can, serve the pie while it is still warm. If you’re taking it on a picnic, cook it just before leaving home. Remove from the oven and transport it in the pie dish; don’t cover it. By the time you get to your picnic, you’ll be ravenous as the glorious smells of savoury bacon, spicy sage and buttery pastry fill the air. You’ll probably have to cut off a wee slice as a taster!
It’s rich, so accompany it with tomatoes, salad, gherkins, that sort of thing.