Ava’s Bacon and Egg Pies
On Wednesday, I took Ava to one of my favourite places, and after a walk in the woods and an amble around the ponds, we sat for a picnic by the water, with swans, coots and grebes gliding past us. After a stroll in my garden, she’d decided she’d make the main, and baked these absolutely scrumptious Bacon and Egg Pies! My girl is a fine cook, and biting into the crisp pastry, and the rich, fragrant, juicy filling was a sheer delight!
Today, Ava is gone; Mum is back from Vienna and we are driving to a restful holiday in the midst of Auvergne’s old volcanoes. Perhaps with a couple of these beauties for lunch! Happy Sunday!
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 ½ cup plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
½ cup ice water
225 grams/8 ounces thick-cut smoked streaky bacon rashers
2 Green Onions
a small bunch fresh Garden Chervil
1 tablespoon White Port
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon fleur de sel or sea salt flakes
½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
Generously butter two 13cm/5″ individual pie plates. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Rub butter into flour mixture between your fingers, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually add ice water, until a soft ball forms. Knead pastry lightly, 5 minutes, wrap in cling film and flatten into a disc. Place in the refrigerator for at least, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Cut bacon into thick lardons, and place into a medium bowl.
Finely chop Green Onions and Garden Chervil, and add to the lardons. Season with black pepper.
Drizzle with White port, and toss well, with clean hands, to combine and mix. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F.
Divide pastry into two portions: one third, and two thirds. Divide the latter into two equal portions and roll each onto a lightly floured surface into a circle. Fit each pastry circle into prepared pie plates, letting the pastry overhang on the edges.
Divide remaining pastry into two equal portions, and roll each on a lightly floured surface to make the pastry lids.
Fill prepared pastry cases generously with Port and herb bacon filling. Gently dig a well in the middle of each pie and carefully break an egg in. Season with fleur de sel and black pepper.
Brush the edges of each pie with water, top with the pastry lid and, gently but firmly pressing to seal. Trim off excess dough and crimp. Cut four slits on each pie, avoiding piercing the egg yolk, and brush with beaten egg. Cut out little hearts in trimmed-off pastry to decorate the pies, and brush with egg wash as well.
Place in the middle of the hot oven, and bake at 200°C/395°F, for 35 minutes or until evenly golden brown.
You can serve Ava’s Bacon and Egg Pies hot immediately, or let them cool slightly and wrap them for a picnic.
