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Pies, Simple Simon Met a Pieman ~ Raised Chicken and Ham Pie

Yum

Pies, 

Simple Simon met a Pieman

and

~ Raised Chicken and Ham Pie ~

Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair;
Said Simple Simon to the pieman “Let me taste your ware”
Said the pieman to Simple Simon “Show me first your penny”
Said Simple Simon to the pieman “Sir, I have not any!”

Simple Simon and the Pieman

 I love pies, it’s a simple as that, as simple as Simon ~ pies conjure up images of picnics, tartan rugs, fireside suppers, scrubbed kitchen tables, wicker hampers, greaseproof paper, flasks, old cars, cold days, hot days, my mum, my dad, childhood days, brown sauce, cafés, woollen jumpers, tea time, suppers, the seaside, mustard ~ English of course, chips, salt and pepper, old serving platters, shiny pie moulds hanging up in the kitchen, floury hands, the Christmas buffet table, high days, feast days and holidays……to name but just a few.

    This pie is a posh pie, not the meat and potato pie of my childhood suppers or the egg and bacon pie of simple picnic lunches ~ this is a rich and cultured pie, a pie with depth and finesse ~ a proper old fashioned pie and one that makes the mustard blush with pleasure when sharing the same table….it’s been properly raised with good manners and impeccable taste.

I will not pretend that this pie is easy or quick to make, it needs time and love, however, if you want to impress your friends or family with a sensational “posh” English raised pie then this is the recipe for you. Tender chunks of chicken with pork sausage meat and ham are encased in crisp hot water crust pastry, liberally seasoned with spices and herbs; this pie makes a simply stunning centrepiece for any Glyndebourne style picnic event or for a special celebratory cold buffet, such as weddings, christenings or anniversaries…….or for a simple supper at the kitchen table.

The pastry used in this pie recipe is hot water crust pastry, which is a direct descendant of “coffer” paste that was used to encase and protect meat whilst it cooked centuries ago – the pies then being called “coffyns”. The pastry is shaped by hand whilst it is still warm, and is excellent for using with intricate pie moulds – the technique is known as “hand raised” and pies made this way are called “raised pies”. The pastry is easy to make, but MUST be kept warm whilst you are using it – I keep mine warm over a pan of simmering water. This pastry is excellent for all types of traditional raised pies, such as Game pies, Pork pies and Veal and Ham pies. 

 I am posting this pie recipe today as we are in the midst of British Food Fortnight, and this is just the well raised gentleman (This pie is a gentleman I think ~ don’t you?) to showcase how wonderful our British pies are; we are a pie making nation and a nation of pie makers and long may the pie reign supreme in our national cuisine. Have a go at making this pie this Autumn ~ serve it on an old platter with a pot of salt, nose tingling hot English mustard and some crisp salad leaves……bring it out with a flourish ~ be a pie queen or king at the kitchen table ~ think PIE! 

British Food Fortnight runs from the 17th September until the 2nd October.

See you tomorrow and by the way, who ate all the pie???

Karen


Recipe for

Old English Posh Raised Chicken and Ham Pie 

Old English Raised Chicken and Ham Pie

Print recipe
Old English Raised Chicken and Ham Pie
Serves 8 to 10
Prep time 24 hours
Cook time 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total time 26 hours, 30 minutes
Allergy Egg, Milk
Meal type Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc Child Friendly, Freezable, Gourmet, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Formal Party, Thanksgiving
Region British
By author Karen S Burns-Booth
I will not pretend that this pie is easy or quick to make, however, if you want to impress your friends or family with a sensational "posh" English raised pie then this is the recipe for you! Tender chunks of chicken with pork sausage meat and ham are encased in crisp hot water crust pastry, liberally seasoned with spices and herbs; this pie makes a simply stunning centrepiece for any Glyndebourne style picnic event or for a special celebratory cold buffet, such as weddings, christenings or anniversaries. The pastry used in this pie recipe is hot water crust pastry, which is a direct descendant of "coffer" paste that was used to encase and protect meat whilst it cooked centuries ago – the pies then being called “coffyns”! The pastry is shaped by hand whilst it is still warm, and is excellent for using with intricate pie moulds - the technique is known as "hand raised" and pies made this way are called "raised pies". The pastry is easy to make, but MUST be kept warm whilst you are using it - I keep mine warm over a pan of simmering water. This pastry is excellent for all types of traditional raised pies, such as Game pies, Pork pies and Veal and Ham pies. (Preparation time includes the one day needed for the pie to cool down and then for jellied stock to be added, and then allowing for the jellied stock to set.

Ingredients

HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY

  • 1 lb (450g) plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces (75g) butter
  • 4 ounces (116g) lard or 4 ounces (115g) white vegetable fat
  • 4 fluid ounces milk, and 4 fluid ounces water, mixed in equal proportions

PIE FILLING

  • 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 lb (450g) good quality pork sausage, casings discarded and crumbled into pieces
  • 8 ounces (225g) chopped pancetta (or chopped ham or bacon)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • grated zest 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
  • butter or lard, for greasing
  • 1 egg, beaten for glaze

JELLIED STOCK

  • 1/2 pint (300ml) vegetable or 1/2 pint (300ml) chicken stock
  • 11 g sachet gelatin powder

Note

The pastry used in this pie recipe is hot water crust pastry, which is a direct descendant of "coffer" paste that was used to encase and protect meat whilst it cooked centuries ago – the pies then being called “coffyns”.  The pastry is shaped by hand whilst it is still warm, and is excellent for using with intricate pie moulds - the technique is known as "hand raised" and pies made this way are called "raised pies".

Directions

Step 1 HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY:
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre.
Place the water, butter and lard into a saucepan, when the butter and lard has melted bring it all to the boil. Take off the heat.
Pour the mixture into the centre of the flour. Working very quickly, mix with a wooden spoon. Then knead with hands to produce a smooth and elastic dough. Allow to rest in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes.
(This pastry must be used whilst still warm, otherwise it will become brittle and hard to mould. I keep mine in a small pan over gently simmering water.).
Proceed with your recipe, as below.
Step 2 PIE FILLING:
Place all the pie-filling ingredients in to a large mixing bowl, including the herbs, spices and seasonings. Mix thoroughly with your hands - it's messy, but it's the best way to get everything well amalgamated.
Step 3 JELLIED STOCK:
Heat the chicken or vegetable stock. Mix the gelatine with a little cold water until it is spongy and smooth, gradually add the hot stock to the gelatine and mix thoroughly. Set aside until it is needed
Step 4 MAKING THE PIE:
Grease an 8" round loose-bottom pie/cake tin or a special decorative pie mould - grease it liberally with melted butter or lard.
Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 3.
Step 5 Take two-thirds of the warm pastry, form into a large, flat disc and put in the bottom of the tin or pie mould. Gently press and mould until the pastry covers the base and sides of the tin, keeping it as even as possible. Fill the pastry pie case with the pie filling mixture - packing it down well.
Step 6 Moisten the top edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut a circle or oblong to fit the top of the tin. Place over the filling and seal the edges, without pressing the pastry down too heavily. Trim the edges. Make a hole in the top centre of the pie and use any pastry trimmings to make pastry leaves and decorative trimmings. Press these onto the top of the pie and glaze the whole thing with beaten egg.
Step 7 Now lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for 2 hours, then remove from the oven. Leave the pie for 30-45 minutes to firm up, then turn up the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Carefully remove the pie from the tin and brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg. If the sides show any sign of bulging, encircle the pie with a band of silicone paper (parchment) and tie with string.
Step 8 Return the pie to the oven and as the pastry continues baking it will firm up (if you used the paper, you will gradually be able to peel it away, but add a little more egg to the unglazed parts) and all the pastry will brown – it will take approximately 30 minutes. As the top will brown before the sides, it will need to be protected with foil while the sides finish browning.
Step 9 When the pie is golden brown, remove it from the oven, leave to cool, then cover and chill.
Step 10 Meanwhile have the jellied stock warmed slightly (by sitting it in a bowl of hot water), then cool it to the syrupy stage and pour it into the pie very gradually through a funnel, in to the centre steam hole (as much as it will take). Chill again to give the jelly a chance to set and then – believe it or not – it's ready to serve.
Step 11 Serve with assorted fresh salads, pickles, mustard, chutney and relishes. Will pie keep for up to 5 days in a cool place or the fridge.
This freezes very well, defrost overnight, sitting the pie on a wire rack to avoid the pastry becoming soggy.
Wrap the pie for a picnic in greaseproof paper and cut the pie into slices when you arrive at your destination.


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Comments

  7. La Table De Nana says

    Well that's a work of art:) Love the mold too..Perfect! I've never had a pie like this..glanced at the recipe..But need the pan :)One day maybe..Thanks!

    Reply

  9. Irma says

    Love, love, love this post!

    I wish one day I'd master the art of pie crust making and become a Pie Queen…

    I better start practicing then.

    Reply

  10. Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says

    What a stunning pie!! British food gets such a bad rap – and it's SO delicious!! Thank goodness there are blogs such as yours to put everyone straight!
    Mary x

    Reply

  11. Victoria says

    that is such a gorgeous pie tin! If I had something like that I would be making pie after pie after pie…and even trying my hand at the pastry!! we often buy handmade pies from the local farmers market…but I do need to attempt something grand and posh like this! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Kentish Keg-Meg says

    Now that is a pie. Looking at the photos has my tummy rumbling . It looks so scrumptious. Be nice to have a pie man call around selling pies like this. Mmmmmm

    Reply

  14. Aimée @ Food: Je t'Aimée says

    I am absolutely gob-smacked! What a fine piece of art this pie is! Truly beautiful. Your skills, madam, are something I aspire to. I don't think I've ever seen a pan like that either; must hunt around…

    "…a proper old fashioned pie and one that makes the mustard blush with pleasure when sharing the same table….it's been properly raised with good manners and impeccable taste."

    This made me laugh out loud at work. Shame on you! Beautifully and playfully written 🙂

    xo

    Reply

  16. JohnMich says

    That is so brilliant and looks wonderful. You really are an exceptional cook/writer/photographer! I read the recipe and it was an easy decision -"must try" but I question, is that type of mould hinged in some way because my mechanical brain says that your pie would not slide out of tin?
    Not that getting anything like that in OZ would be possible.

    Reply

  17. Karen S Booth says

    G'day John! Great to see you here! Yes, it is a hinged mould ~ as you rightly surmised, impossible to get the pie out with no hinges ~ in the absence of an old pie mould like this, you can make the pie in a cake tin ~ the ones with the outer rims that clip off. Or even a cake tin where the bottom is loose…..if you excuse that expression!
    Thanks for your kind comments!
    Karen

    Reply

  18. Sharon says

    II am so happy to have found this site. I LOVE all manner of savory pies and I create and experiment with them endlessly. As a professional chef, I put them on the menu often, and when I do they literally fly out of the kitchen. People love them! I make everything from French Canadian feast night meat pies to empanadas. I love all things en croute. My next project is an English pork pie with gelatin made from simmering pig’s feet, the old fashioned way. I have been searching for vintage raised-pie molds for years. I know it’s just a matter of time before I run across one at a thrift shop and dash home with it. I will try this recipe immediately as it looks absolutely scrumptious. I will fashion them into individual pies and I’m sure my customers will love them. Looks delectable. Will keep you posted.

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Hello and WELCOME Sharon! Thanks so much for your lovely comments, I DO have a proper recipe for pork pie with trotters, and I will post it one day…..I would LOVE to know what you and your customers think too…..LOVELY to have met you through my pie recipe and my blog! Karen

      Reply

  19. Tony Walsh says

    Great pie, but where can you buy the moulds?
    I have looked in Lakeland, Divertimenti and all the usual websites but nobody seems to sell them any more – can anyone help?
    Regards
    Tony Walsh

    Reply

    • Karen says

      Thanks Tony. I bought two of these antique moulds in France, from a brocante, for about €2 each, soma bargain. You can find them in top end cookware shops as well as on line at eBay etc. Failing that, try antique shops maybe? Karen

      Reply

    • Sharon says

      I, too, have been on a ceaseless quest for these moulds. So far, no luck, but I have hope. Thrift shops are your best bet. It does take some perseverance, but eventually, one will show up. I can’t tell you how many sought after treasures I have finally unearthed in thrift shops and at flea markets, never once doubting that I would stumble upon them one day. In the meantime, just enjoy the thrill of the chase! Please report back when you do find one and I will do the same. Good luck, Tony.

      Reply

  21. laurasmess says

    Karen, this is the most beautiful pie I’ve ever seen!! It reminds me of the old-fashioned British pork pies (I am a British ex-pat, now living in Australia… but my father still ate a pork pie every lunchtime for years!). Like everyone else’s comments, I love the beautiful vintage French pie mold. It makes the pie extra-special, as do your pastry leaves. I’ll be trying this pie as a feature for a special family lunch soon… unfortunately I’ll have to use my very boring springform cake tin (haha… I prefer your term, ‘loose bottomed’!) instead of your almond-shaped beauty! Thanks for the recipe. And yay for great British food!

    Reply

    • Karen S says

      Thanks so much Laura for your lovely comments, and it’s so nice to meet you through my blog too! Do let me know how it turns out and if you need any help…..Karen

      Reply

  23. John Arthurs says

    I purchased a new french-style mould (same pattern as the one shown here)via a French website called meilleur du chef. It is a modern enamelled version with teflon-coated inside and it works really well. Not cheap at 92 euros, and there will be shipping (approx 10 euro) but in the past 2 years I have made probably 8 pies with it and it will last for years providing ‘wow’ factor presentation of buffet centrepiece pies. I have included the link below. The website is all in French, but as a non-french speaker I managed to decipher the text etc by copying extracts into ‘google translate’. The alternative is to hunt out ‘kitchenalia’ antiques, although I have seen them go for exorbitant prices. Be careful though, if the tin is held together by metal pins through hinges at each end, it is antique, but if it is held by clips over extended flanges at each end it is a repro. That probably only matters if you are into antiques – if you want one just to use, then it matters not how old it is or how it fits together.

    http://www.meilleurduchef.com/cgi/mdc/l/fr/boutique/produits/mfr-moule_pate_ovale_24.html

    (If your browser can’t cope with the full extended link go to http://www.meilleurduchef.com/ and type ‘moule a pate’ in the site search box) Good luck!

    Reply

  24. Diana says

    I’ve given this recipe a go, but I wasn’t sure if I should have taken the pie off of the bottom of the pan when I returned it to the oven. Was that the right choice? For those who would like try it, I’d suggest preparing all of the filling prior to starting the dough. 20 minutes wasn’t enough time while the dough was resting to get the filling completely prepped. Unfortunately, I left some dough hanging over the edge of the sides and, after the 2-hour bake, it was difficult to remove the sides without destroying the top (I used a 9″ round spring-form pan). I was able keep it reasonably assembled until I tied the parchment strip on, though it didn’t look quite as pretty then. I haven’t had a chance to sample this gentleman as I’ve just put him back in for the final 1/2 hour bake, but it’s gone well so far and my kitchen smells wonderful! Thank you for the recipe. It was very easy to follow.

    Reply

    • Karen Burns-Booth says

      Thanks Diana, I am glad that you were able to adapt this recipe for a 9″ spring form tin, as it cooks differently as there are no narrowed lozenge ends!

      I always prep my filling before making the pastry and I may need to change that in the recipe……I will check now.

      I would never suggest leaving any of the pastry overhanging too, for the reasons you mentioned, it should be shaped BEFORE baking.

      I am so pleased you found the recipe easy to follow and it’s a pleasure to hear your comments!

      Karen

      Reply

      • Diana says

        BTW, just wanted to follow-up and let you know that after I practiced( as described above), I made this pie again for a Medieval Feast. It was the star of the night and everyone raved about the presentation as well as a the flavor. I go back to your website and posts again and again for inspiration and I can’t thank you enough for all of the great ideas and recipes!

        Reply

  25. Christine says

    Can you serve this pie warm or is it meant to serve chilled. I’m trying to plan a “Christmas Carol” dinner and am looking for old English recipes. Being that I’m American, this will be a challenge! Where exactly do you buy suet for plum pudding? And do I really boil it for 6 hours! Lol! But this will be fun! 🙂 thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    • Karen Burns-Booth says

      Hi Christine, You eat this pie cold as in chilled and it is wonderful with salads and pickles! Yes, you DO need to boil the plum, pudding for 6 hours and in place of suet, you can use grated frozen butter. Happy Christmas for 2015! Karen

      Reply

  28. Kate says

    Hello! So I made this in a springform pan and it came out beautifully! I haven’t eaten it yet, as I’m at the stage of adding the jellied stock, but it will now accept any of it! What have I done wrong?

    Reply

  29. Linda says

    Hi Karen
    I really want to attempt this pie, but I live in Greece & can’t get Lard or Trex.
    The only Fats I can find are Butter, Olive Oil Spread or Margarine
    Would using ALL butter work or can you suggest an alternative please?

    Reply

  30. Jessica Blacow says

    I found this recipe on Jamie Olivers website but then the link disappeared but was ever so chuffed when I found it here. I’ve made it 3 Christmases in a row and its always gone down a treat (but I’m still working on shaping the pastry!)

    I don’t use gelatin – personally, I don’t think it needs it.

    I add lemon juice to the mix – it really brings out the flavours.

    I don’t take it out of tin for the last leg (I’m too afraid of it collapsing!). I cover it in foil, lower the temperature if I have to and keep checking it for the last 15 minutes.

    Its then left in its tin to cool completely. I have one of those push up tins, so loosening it can be a bit tricky but usually we get it out without too much resistance.

    It doesn’t look as posh as yours but I’m always quite proud of my effort, especially as I prefer baking not cooking.

    Reply

    • Karen Burns-Booth says

      How odd that Jamie had the same recipe, I have never seen in before on a celebrity chef’s site!

      Anyway, thanks for all of your useful comments for other readers who want to try this recipe, the gelatin ingredient divides bakers I know, but it makes it more stable to slice and cut once cold, but I have also omitted it before too.

      I am so pleased that this recipe works so well for you and thanks once again for taking the time to add your cooking/baking tips!

      Karen

      Reply

  31. Charlie says

    Morning Karen!
    I cannot for health reasons, eat sausage meat.
    What would be a good substitute?
    It’s a whole pound of meat so I can’t see being able to leave it out.

    Reply

  33. Alan says

    I love seeing all the posts on making meat pies …the molds are very costly ..I know because I recently purchased one .. it’ seems impossible to here how to treat, store and take care of these investments..molds .
    Can anyone post on this ?
    Regards

    Reply

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