The pork roast was perfect for Christmas day but there was some left over. This recipe used that pork to make pork, apple and leek parcel pies.

Just 250 g of delicious leftover roast pork can be transformed into amazing parcel pies. The ingredients in this recipe can make 8 generous pies.

These pies are like a parcel, gathered up around the filling and baked in individual pie dishes. By not having a seam to seal the filling into a traditionally constructed pie of base and top, there is no risk of the filling leaking. They are a favourite of mine just for the ease of their assembly and I have previously posted various fillings for them in the past. Today it is the classic pork and apple.

The mixture of green apple, leek and fennel with sage and wholegrain mustard balance perfectly with the roast pork.

A very light bechamel sauce made from equal parts of good homemade stock and milk makes a creamy filling to bind all the other ingredients. This filling can be made a day ahead for ease.

The shortcrust pastry is also easy to make and adds a little crunch to the creamy filling. The Nigella seeds sprinkled on the pies add a subtle nutty flavour too. It can also be made a day ahead.

By preparing the filling and pastry a day ahead it can make the construction of the parcel pies really easy and time saving.

Pork, Apple and Leek Parcel Pies

Ingredients:

Shortcrust Pastry:

I have made the pastry in 2 batches in the food processor .

The first batch used 2 cups of flour and 85 g butter to make enough pastry for 6 pies.

The second batch used 1 cup of flour and 45 g butter to make the pastry for an extra 2 pies.

• 3 cups plain flour
• 130 g of butter, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Chilled water
• Nigella seeds

Pie Filling:

• 250 g of roast pork, chopped
• 1 Leek, white part only, washed and sliced in 1 cm slices
• 2 medium Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
• 1/4 small fennel, sliced thinly
• 6 fresh sage leaves finely sliced
• 2 Tblsp of celery leaves, finely sliced
• 1 Tblsp of Olive oil
• 1 knob of butter
• 3 tsp of wholegrain mustard
• McCormick’s Chicken Seasoning
• Dried sage leaf powder
• 250 ml of chicken stock preferably home made plus a half a cup extra to moisten the pork.
• 1 tsp of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Light Bechamel Sauce:

• 250 ml Full Cream Milk, warmed
• 250 ml Chicken stock, warmed
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 60 g salted butter
• 2 Tblsp of Parmesan cheese, grated
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Freshly grated black pepper

Method:

Shortcrust Pastry:

Make in two batches using the ingredient quantities as specified above to make a 2 cup batch and a another 1 cup batch of shortcrust pastry.

1. Using a food processor with the  chopping blade, add flour and salt and securing the cover, process for 5 seconds. (equivalent to sifting)

2. Add butter and process until combined, about 15 seconds

3. Add chilled water  a little at a time through the feed tube and process until the pastry forms a ball.

4. Remove and cover the pastry ball in cling wrap and rest it for half and hour in the fridge

Now continue to make the filling during this time if you haven’t made it ahead of time already.

Pork, Apple and Leek filling:

Preheat oven to 200 C

1. Pour the olive oil into a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat and add the knob of butter

2. When the butter foams add the sliced leek, fennel and chopped apple and stir through dusting with freshly ground black pepper and dried sage powder

3. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes till everything is tender.

4. While the leeks, apple and fennel are cooking prepare the pork

5. In another saucepan place the chopped pork and add enough stock to just cover it

6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of Chicken seasoning

7. Stir through the wholegrain mustard, finely chopped sage and finely sliced celery leaves

8. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer till the liquid is nearly all reduced

9. Then set aside to cool

10. When the apple, leek and fennel mixture is tender mix the pork into it and stir to combine everything

11. Check the seasoning adding salt and extra pepper as needed and set aside to cool

12. Then make the bechamel

Light Bechamel:

1. Warm the milk and the chicken stock

2. Begin making making the roux by melting the butter

3. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper, pinch of ground nutmeg and 1/4 tsp salt

4. Remove from the heat and whisk through the warmed milk and chicken stock till smooth

5. Return to the heat and continue whisking till the bechamel comes to the boil and the sauce thickens

6. Then lower the heat and cook for one minute then remove from the heat and stir in 2 Tblsp of ground Parmesan cheese

7.Stir the chopped pork, leek and fennel mixture through the bechamel sauce till well combined.

8. Check and season if required.

9.Cover and set aside till well cooled while you roll out the pastry to make the pies

Assembling the Pies:

1 Preheat the oven to 200 C

2. Remove the ball of pastry from the fridge and divide it into 5 pieces. Divide the smaller ball of pastry into 3 pieces

3. Roll each piece into a ball then roll it out into a circle large enough to extend beyond the diameter of the pie plate

4. Drape the circles of pastry over the pie plate

5. Carefully ease the pastry into the pie plates

6. Prick the pastry base and sides all over with a fork being careful not to go through the entire thickness of the pastry

7. Spoon the prepared chicken filling into the pastry

8. Gather up the pastry, pleating as you go and pressing the pleats of pastry to seal them, ease a small opening with a skewer at the top of the folds as a vent for steam to escape

9. Brush the pies with milk and sprinkle the nigella seeds over them

10. Place a tray into the preheated oven and heat it for 3 minutes

11. Then put the pies into the preheated oven onto the heated tray and bake them for 10 minutes at 200 C

12. When this time has passed, lower the heat to 180 C and bake for 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye close to the end of the cooking time. The filling will begin to boil at the top opening so if you see this the pies will be done and remove them to a cooling rack

13. Allow to cool for 10 minutes

14. Then the pies can be gently eased from the pie plates and served with a green garden salad