The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook (17 page)

Makes 6 or 7 pies

1 pound mutton or lamb cubes for stew with bones attached

Mutton Stock

Bones from the mutton or lamb

1 bay leaf

½ carrot

½ celery rib

¼ onion

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

Several sprigs parsley Several sprigs dill

Mutton Filling

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)

Mutton or lamb detached from the bones, trimmed, and cut into ¼-inch dice

1 small onion, chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup mutton or lamb stock

Freshly ground black pepper

Pasty Dough

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into pieces

½ cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into pieces

½ to ¾ cup cold water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing the tops of the pies

1. To make the stock, cover the bones with water in a small pot, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Add the carrot, celery, onion, salt, rosemary, parsley, and dill and simmer for another ½ hour. Strain the stock through a sieve and cool. Use a fat separator or chill the stock to remove the fat layer. Measure out 1 cup of stock and set aside.
   

2. To make the filling, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet and sear the mutton or lamb in batches over high heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side until crusty brown, transferring the batches to a large plate. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Cook the onion over mediumlow heat, scraping the fond (browned bits) from the bottom of the skillet, until the onions are softened. Add the flour and stir to combine. Add the reserved cup of stock to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbling. Add the meat back to the skillet along with any accumulated juices and the black pepper. Simmer for 1 hour, then cool to room temperature.
   

3. To make the pasty dough, place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Scatter the pieces of butter and shortening over the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse yellow meal without any white powdery bits remaining, about 15 pulses. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle ½ cup water over the mixture and toss with a rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough is dry (better too wet than too dry). Divide the dough in half, form into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill at least 1 hour.
   

4. To assemble the pies, preheat the oven to 450°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with one disk at a time, roll out each disk 1//8-inch thick. Use a 4-inch cookie cutter to cut out circles of dough. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto half the circles. Moisten the edges and cover with the rest of the circles. Use a fork dipped in flour to crimp the edges to seal them. Brush the tops with beaten egg and cut slits to make vents. Arrange the pies on the cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes, rotating and switching the pans halfway through baking. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake another 5 minutes until golden brown.
   

Makes 6 to 8 pies

To save the time and tedium of making a lamb stock from scratch, you can substitute 1 cup canned beef or chicken broth.

1 pound veal with bones attached

Veal Stock

Bones from the veal

1 bay leaf

½ carrot

½ celery rib

¼ onion

½ teaspoon salt

Several sprigs parsley

Several sprigs dill

Veal Filling

Veal, detached from the bones, trimmed, and finely chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

½ teaspoon ground thyme

¼ onion, finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

Hot-Water Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup water

½ cup (8 tablespoons) vegetable shortening

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing the tops of the pies

Aspic

1 cup veal stock

1 tablespoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin

1. For the stock, put the bones in a small saucepan and cover with water. Add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add the carrot, celery, onion, salt, parsley, and dill, and simmer another ½ hour. Cool to room temperature. Use a fat separator or chill the stock to remove the fat layer. Measure out 1 cup stock and set aside.
   

2. For the filling, combine the veal, dill, thyme, onion, and black pepper in a mixing bowl.
   

3. For the dough, whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Bring the water and vegetable shortening to a boil in a small sauce-pan. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the water-shortening mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon, then knead for a few seconds until a cohesive dough forms.
   

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. To assemble the pies, roll out ¾ of the dough 1/8-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut out ten circles of dough. (The dough can be briefly kneaded and rerolled to cut more circles.) Fit the dough circles into the cups of a muffin pan. Divide the filling among the pies. Roll out the remaining dough ¼-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out ten circles of dough. Use a 1-inch round cookie cutter to cut out holes in the centers. Brush the rims of the pies with water and attach the rings of dough to the tops of the pies, pressing with your fingers to seal. Brush the tops with the beaten egg. Fill any empty muffin cups halfway with water before putting the pan in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until pies are golden brown.
   

5. While the pies are baking, make the aspic. Boil the reserved cup of veal stock and whisk in the gelatin until dissolved. Reheat if necessary when the pies are finished baking. Using a funnel, slowly pour the stock into the holes in the pie crusts while the pies are still hot. You should use most of the stock. Cool the pies to room temperature and refrigerate until cold. Serve chilled.
   

Makes 10 pies

To save the time and tedium of making a veal stock from scratch, you can substitute 1 cup canned beef broth.

Pork Stock

3 pounds pork bones

3 cups water

1 teaspoon fresh sage

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 onion, quartered

Hot-Water Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 pinches kosher salt

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) lard or vegetable shortening

¼ cup whole milk

¼ cup water Flour for dusting

Pork Filling

2 pounds pork shoulder, 2/3 lean, 1/3 fat

6 slices bacon, diced

1 teaspoon fresh sage, or ½ teaspoon dried sage

1 anchovy fillet, minced, or 1 teaspoon oil from container of anchovy fillets

½ teaspoon ground allspice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing the tops of the pies

1 tablespoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin

English mustard, for serving

1. To make the stock, combine all the stock ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. Strain the solids and return the liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce the total volume to 1¼ cups. Set aside to cool.
   

2. To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Place the lard or vegetable shortening in a saucepan along with the milk and water; set the saucepan over high heat until the fat melts. Bring to a boil. Stir the fat and liquids together and pour into the bowl with the flour. Mix well. Turn the dough out onto a flourdusted work surface. Form the dough into a ball and dust with flour. Knead for 5 minutes. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
   

3. For the filling, dice the pork into ¼-inch pieces or place chunks of pork into a food processor and pulse to coarsely chop. Place the pork in a large mixing bowl with the diced bacon, sage, minced anchovy or anchovy oil, and allspice. Add ¼ cup of the stock and mix well. Test the seasoning by heating a small amount of water in a sauté pan to a boil and cook a small amount of the pork mixture (1 teaspoon) in it. Taste the filling and adjust the salt and pepper as desired.
   

4. To assemble the pies, preheat the oven to 400°F, then decide on the size of finished pies desired. This recipe can be made in a muffin pan, popover pan, or 4-ounce ceramic ramekins. Cut off ¾ of the dough and place on a flour-dusted work surface. Roll it out 1/8-inch thick. To make the bottom crust, cut 4-inch circles for a muffin or popover pan and 4½-inch circles for the ramekins. Place the dough circles in the cups or ramekins and press the dough into the bottom and sides of each.
   

5. Fill the pastry-lined molds up to the rim. Fold any excess dough from the sides onto the top of the filling. Roll out the remaining dough and cut 3-inch circles to fit into the tops of the muffin or popover pan or ramekins. Place the tops onto the filling and press down lightly to seal. Cut a small hole in the center of each top. Reroll any excess dough. Using small pastry cutters, cut out shapes and decorate the tops. Brush the top of each pie with the beaten egg. Bake the pies for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 2 hours.
   

6. Remove the pies from the oven, brush with the beaten egg again, and bake for 10 minutes longer. Remove and let cool in the pan.
   

7. Bring the reduced stock back to a boil, remove from the heat, add the gelatin, and stir to dissolve. Using a funnel, spoon the stock mixture into the hole in the top of each pie, dividing the stock evenly among the pies. This is a slow process, and all of the liquid should be used. Chill overnight.
   

8. To serve, remove from the pan and serve with good English mustard.