Pie Dolly - Solid Wood - Perfect for Pie Making, Handcrafted in Ukraine

Product Information

Let me start with the elephant in the room, and that’s how do you go about making the shape for a hand-raised pie properly? You have two choices: Use a mold or dolly, or McGyver it.

It makes absolutelyno difference to the moulding of the pastry . If your pie needs a lid you can now egg wash the edges of the pastry place on the lid & crimp the edges, once you'rehappy to trim the excess pastry around the edge of the dish, an old credit card is good for this using a vertical sawing action all around the edge. It’s very fatty, and that fat is usually lard. Butter works, too, and if you want to be adventurous, use beef tallow. I’ve not seen a hot water dough made with oil, but I imagine it could work. Using just pork belly meat may create a filling that’s a bit greasy, while leg meat alone will be firm and quite dry. A mix might work well but it’s up to you.”

Method

Steeped in tradition, the dolly continues to play a vital role in the process. Made from wood, it provides a mold around which we form the outer case crust of hot water pastry. Brush the top of the pie (not the crimp) with egg and make a hole in lid centre. Chill thoroughly, preferably overnight. Only a hot water crust provides the characteristic crunchy texture of a raised pie. The boiling water and lard gelatinise the starch. When it bakes it hardens without becoming short and crumbly or tough. This texture lasts for at least four days and won't soften like the outside skin of most pâtés en croûtes. Bake at Gas 4 (180C) for one and a half hours (see tips below). When baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Filling: The star of the show is the pork filling. Use high-quality, free-range pork, seasoned with pepper, salt, and a touch of jelly.

Click and Collect

Melton Mowbray pork pies have had Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status since July 2009. This means the hallowed words ‘Melton Mowbray’ can only be applied topork pies if they’re: Another problem to avoid is over-flouring the work surface, which can be especially tempting for a learner. Over-flouring will cause burning and blistering of the pastry. Enjoy: Once your homemade Melton Mowbray Pork Pie has cooled, you can slice into it and savor the mouth-watering result of your culinary efforts.