When it comes to the basics, look no further than a cookbook by renowned Test Kitchen master Pamela Clark. Her simple, triple-tested recipes are delicious and genuinely foolproof. Her newest book, Pocket Pies, celebrates empanadas, pasties, turnovers and more from the world of sweet and savory handheld pastry.
Ingredients
Fennel Pastry
- 3 cups plain (all purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 1/2 sticks plus 1 tablespoon butter, chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup iced water, approximately
Chunky Pork And Fennel Pie
- 2 pounds pork shoulder, diced
- 1/3 cup plain (all purpose) flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped coarsely
- 1 large carrot, chopped coarsely
- 1 stick celery, trimmed, chopped coarsely
- 1 large fennel bulb, sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 1/3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons fennel tops, chopped
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 1 egg, beaten lightly
- 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
Directions
For the fennel pastry:
- Process flour, seeds and butter until crumbly.
- Add eggs and enough of the water to make ingredients just come together.
- Knead pastry on floured surface until smooth, enclose with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
For the chunky pork and fennel pie:
- Toss pork in flour; shake away excess.
- Heat oil in large saucepan; cook pork in batches, until browned; remove from pan.
- Add onion, carrot, celery and fennel to pan; cook, stirring, until softened.
- Add garlic and thyme; cook, stirring, until fragrant.
- Return pork to pan with stock; bring to a boil.
- Simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours.
- Simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened.
- Stir in fennel tops and mustard; season to taste, cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Oil deep 9 1/2-inch pie dish (6-cups).
- Roll half the pastry between sheets of parchment paper until large enough to line dish.
- Press pastry into side; trim edge.
- Prick base with fork.
- Cover pastry with parchment paper, fill with dried beans or rice.
- Bake 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans, bake further 10 minutes or until browned. Cool.
- Spoon pork mixture into pastry case.
- Brush edge of pastry with egg.
- Roll remaining pastry until large enough to cover top of dish, place over filling; pinch edges together, trim.
- Brush with egg; sprinkle with seeds.
- Cut several steam holes in pastry.
- Place pie on cookie sheet; bake about 30 minutes or until browned.
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