Pork Apricot Pistachio Pies Recipes

Steps:

• To cut pork roast into a large rectangle that can be filled and rolled, cut lengthwise about 1/2 inch from top of pork to within 1/2 inch of opposite edge; open flat. Repeat with other side of pork, cutting from the inside edge to the outer edge; open flat to form rectangle.
• Sprinkle apricots, 1/2 cup nuts, the garlic, salt and pepper over pork to within 1 inch of edge. Tightly roll up pork, beginning with short side. Secure with toothpicks, or tie with string. Pierce pork all over with metal skewer. Brush brandy over entire surface. Let stand 15 minutes. Brush again with remaining brandy. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Place pork, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of pork. Roast uncovered 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons nuts and garlic salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Cool slightly.
• Brush preserves over pork. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Roast uncovered 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 160°F. Cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving for easier carving.

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; square off the edges. Refrigerate the dough rectangles until firm, at least 20 minutes.
• Make the filling: Spread 3 tablespoons apricot preserves on each dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Toss the pistachios, dried apricots, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the preserves and press in gently.
• Starting with the jam-covered long side, roll up each dough rectangle into a tight log. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the logs with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut the logs into 1-inch-thick rounds. Arrange seam-side down on the prepared pan, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.

Steps:

• Tip the bacon, pork and sausagemeat into a large bowl, then grate in the nutmeg and add the sage, cranberries, apricots, pistachios, ¼ tsp salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Mix to combine, then cover and keep chilled while you make the pastry.
• Tip the lard and butter into a small pan with 150ml water and bring to a simmer. Weigh the flour out in a heatproof bowl with ½ tsp salt. When the butter and lard have melted and the mixture is steaming, pour it over the flour and quickly mix to form a scraggy dough. Tip out onto a surface and knead briefly until smooth. Cut off a third, then wrap and set aside.
• Roll the remaining pastry out to the thickness of a £1 coin, then lift using a rolling pin and unroll into a deep 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Press the pastry into the edge and up the side - don't worry if it doesn't reach the top, just press into an even layer and ensure there are no holes.
• Spoon the filling into the pastry case and pack in with the back of the spoon to expel any air pockets. Mound it up in the centre to create a dome, leaving about 1cm of the pastry edge protruding.
• Roll out the reserved pastry to the same thickness as before, then use a plate as a template to cut out a 20cm circle. You can either top the pie with the pastry lid as it is, or create a lattice effect. To do this, you will need to use a lattice cutter or ruler and knife. Hold the ruler over the pastry circle and, starting from the left or right side, cut 1cm vertical lines in the pastry going from top to bottom, leaving 1cm gaps between the incisions. After completing one line of cuts, move the ruler ½cm to the side and make another line of cuts. Continue all the way along the pastry. Gently tease the holes open with your fingers to create a webbed lattice effect, then use the same 20cm template to retrim the lid. Carefully lift it over the pie, folding over the excess pastry and crimping all the way around the edge to seal. Brush the pastry with some of the beaten egg. Re-roll any offcuts and use to decorate the pie, if you like (we cut out star shapes). Stick these on and brush with more beaten egg. Will keep covered, uncooked, in the fridge for up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake for 2 hrs until the pastry is deep golden brown. If you have a food thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 70C. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then chill for at least 4 hrs before serving. Will keep covered in the fridge for up to five days.

Steps:

• Make the pork filling. Put the sausagemeat, bacon and roughly chopped ham into a food processor with the mace, pepper and a small amount of salt. Pulse until it is all coarsely chopped. Stir in the pieces of ham and the parsley.
• To make the pastry, tip the flour into a bowl with 2 tsp salt. Put the lard and milk in a pan with 150ml water, then heat gently until the lard has melted, but don't let it boil. Pour the hot liquid into the flour mixture, while beating with a wooden spoon.
• Use your hands to knead until the dough comes together smoothly. Use a little more lard to grease the loaf tin, then line it with a long strip of baking parchment that comes well over the edge of the tin at each end - this will help you to lift out the pie. Dust inside the tin with the finest dusting of flour, too.
• Dust your surface with flour. Wrap a third of the dough in cling film, then a tea towel (see tip, below), then roll out the rest to roughly 1.5cm thick. Roll the pastry over the rolling pin to help you lift over and into the tin. Use your hands to mould the pastry into the tin, pressing it firmly into the corners and easing it neatly up the sides to give an even thickness and overhang all the way around.
• Start layering up the pie with roughly a quarter of the pork filling, pressing into a firmly packed, even layer at the bottom. Top with just over half of the chicken fillets - you can cut them to fit if you need to. Sandwich them together like a jigsaw puzzle, so that wherever you eventually slice into the finished pie, you get a perfect stripe of each different layer.
• Follow the chicken strips with a second quarter of the pork. Again, try to press into a well-packed, even layer without disturbing the pastry too much. Now put in the apricots. Fit them in snugly, to once again create an even layer with no visible gaps.
• Top the apricots with just over half the remaining pork mixture - this will probably take you over the top of the tin. Add the final layer of chicken fillets down the middle, starting to round the filling toward the centre. Finally, pile on the remaining pork and mould with your hands into a neat, firm dome.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the remaining pastry on a floured surface to a little bigger than the top of the pie. Brush some egg over the overhanging pastry edges on the pie, then lift on your pastry lid.
• Use your hands to smooth over the top, pressing out any air, then press the edges well to seal. Using a small, sharp knife, and holding the whole tin in your hand so you can rotate it, cut away the excess pastry neatly by running your knife along the edge of the tin.
• Crimp the edge of your pastry by using your index finger to create a 'divot', while pinching around it with two fingers from your other hand. Work all the way around the edges - this looks pretty, but also helps to seal the edges even more.
• Finally, make a small hole in the centre of the pie and insert a metal piping nozzle into it. Brush the top all over with more beaten egg, then bake in a shallow roasting tin for 30 mins, before lowering the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and cooking for another hour. Leave to cool (see tip, below), then use the paper to help lift out the pie - although once cool, you should be able to tip it out upside down onto your hand.
• Soften the gelatine leaves in some cold water and pour 500ml boiling water over the stock cube to make stock. Squeeze the excess water from the leaves and stir into the stock to dissolve. Cool to room temperature, then sit a small funnel into your nozzle (unless you have a steady hand) and gradually pour in a little at a time into your pie until no more will go in. Remove the nozzle and chill for at least 4 hrs, or overnight.

Steps:

• Heat the grill to medium and put the pork steaks on to a large baking tray lined with foil to catch the juices. Brush with a little oil and season to taste. Arrange the apricots around the pork, cut side up. Dot the apricots with the butter, then sprinkle with the chilli and sugar.
• Grill for 15 mins, turning the pork over half way through, until cooked and golden and the apricots are soft and sticky, but still holding their shape. Serve the apricots alongside the pork, drizzled with any sticky juices - great with vegetables and mash.

Steps:

• Put the cranberries in a pan with the sugar and orange juice. Bring to a simmer, then cook until the berries start to burst and the sauce thickens. Set aside to cool.
• Heat the oil in a small pan and fry the onion until soft. Add the bacon and garlic, and cook until the bacon starts to brown, then stir through the thyme, sage and some seasoning. Allow it to cool slightly, then mix with the pork and pistachios. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg. Set aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the flour into a bowl with 2 tsp salt. Put lard and milk into a pan with 150ml water, then heat until the lard has completely melted. Pour into the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough is formed. Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
• Take two-thirds of the pastry and roll out between two sheets of baking parchment into a circle large enough to line the base and sides of a 20cm cake tin (about 4-6cm high with a slight overhang. Press the pastry into the tin making sure to push it into the corners. Pile half the filling into the pastry and flatten into an even layer. Spread over two-thirds of the cranberry sauce, then finish with remaining pork and roughly smooth the top. Keep the rest of the cranberry sauce in the fridge to serve with the pie.
• Roll out remaining pastry between baking parchment and cut to a 20cm round. Place onto the pie and glaze the edge with some beaten egg. Fold up the overhanging pastry and press down to seal. Make a steam hole with the tip of a knife, then glaze the pie with more beaten egg. Cook for 30 mins, then reduce the heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Continue cooking for 40 mins until the pastry is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the pie and left for 10 secs feels very hot. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with the reserved cranberry sauce. Will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Watch our pork pie video for extra tips.