Meats Recipes - Picnic Pie

  
 

Meats Recipes - Picnic Pie

Ingredients

  • Oil for greasing

  • 350 g/12 oz/3 cups whole meal flour

  • A good pinch of salt

  • 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup margarine

  • 75 ml/5 tbsp approx. cold water

  • 1 bunch of spring onions (scallions), chopped

  • 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter

  • 340 g/12 oz/1 large can corned beef

  • 30 ml/2 tbsp tomato relish

  • 100 g/4 oz/1 cup cooked long-grain rice

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 hard-boiled (hard-cooked) eggs

  • A little plain (all-purpose) flour

  • Beaten egg to glaze

Method:

  1. Line a 900 g/2 lb loaf tin (pan) with a double thickness of foil. folding down the edges over the rim. Lightly grease with the oil.

  2. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the margarine, cut into small pieces, and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

  3. Mix with enough water to form a firm dough. Knead gently on a lightly floured surface. Cut off about a quarter of the dough and reserve for a lid.

  4. Roll out the remaining dough and use to line the prepared tin, easing it gently into the corners. Fry (sauté) the spring onions in the butter for 2 minutes to soften.

  5. Mash the corned beef, work in the tomato relish, the rice and the fried onion. Season lightly. Press half this mixture into the pastry-lined tin.

  6. Dust the eggs with flour and place in a row down the centre of the tin. Top with the remaining beef mixture, pressing down well. Roll out the remaining pastry to a rectangle for a lid.

  7. Brush the edges with a little of the beaten egg and press into position. Crimp the edges between finger and thumb and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape.

  8. Make leaves out of any pastry trimmings and use to decorate the top. Brush the surface with beaten egg.

  9. Bake at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for 20 minutes then reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and continue cooking for a further 1 hour.

  10. Cover the top with foil if over-browning. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then carefully lift out using the foil, and cool on a wire rack. Chill until ready to serve, cut into slices.