Lancashire Fig Pie Recipes

FRESH FIG PIE TO WELCOME FALL

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt, and stir with a fork to mix well.
• In a medium bowl, combine the figs and the sugar-flour mixture, and toss gently to mix them evenly. Pour the figs into the piecrust, and mound them up toward the center in to a little pile. Pour lemon juice over the figs, and dot with the bits of butter.
• Cover with the top crust and press the sides together to seal them well. Trim and fold the edges under firmly; then crimp to seal the pie, or press the edges down with the tines of a fork to seal them and make a pretty design. Use a fork or a knife to make steam vents so that steam and juicy filling can escape as the pie cooks.
• Place in the 400 degree F oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until the filling is thick and juicy and bubbling out around the top of the pie, and until the crust is golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. *Transfer to a cooling rack or a folded kitchen towel to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LANCASHIRE CHEESE-AND-ONION PIE

Steps:

• Combine the flour and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons butter and the lard, and use your fingers to gently rub the fat into the flour until it has the texture of coarse bread crumbs.
• Mix in just enough ice water to bind the mixture, about 3 tablespoons, and lightly knead the dough until well combined and smooth. When you can mold the mixture into a ball, do so. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes -- or freeze for 10 -- to ease rolling.
• Heat the oven to 350. Add 2 tablespoons butter to a large skillet over low heat. When the butter melts, add the onions, a pinch of salt and the ground white pepper; cook slowly for about 10 minutes, never browning.
• Turn the heat to medium and slowly pour in the water. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid cooks off, about 10 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and place them on a plate to cool
• Grease the bottom of a 9-inch pie dish and sprinkle a countertop with flour. Unwrap the dough and divide it into two balls, one twice as big as the other. Put them on the surface and sprinkle the tops with flour. Using light pressure, roll each one from the center outward, adding more flour as needed and turning them over once or twice during the process. When the larger ball is roughly 10 inches in diameter, gently move it into the pie dish and press it firmly into the bottom and sides. Prick it all over with a fork.
• Layer the onions and cheese on top of the dough in the dish, then carefully cover with the remaining dough -- it should be about 8 inches in diameter. Press the edges together, gently but firmly, and brush the top and edges with milk. Use a knife to make 3 small incisions in the top of the crust so steam can escape.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake until the crust is nicely browned and the insides are bubbly, 45 minutes to an hour. Cool a bit before slicing into wedges and serving.

MIXED NUT 'N' FIG PIE

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges. Line pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 300°., In a small saucepan, combine figs and water. Cook and stir over low heat until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; stir in marmalade. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn syrup, eggs, butter, vanilla and fig mixture; stir in nuts. Pour into crust., Bake at 300° for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until set. Cover edges with foil during the last 30 minutes to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and marmalade; beat until soft peaks form. Serve with pie. Refrigerate leftovers.

LANCASHIRE FIG PIE

Steps:

• Roll the pastry to 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a deep 8 inch pie plate.
• Cut the stalks off the figs and place fruit in a shallow saucepan with enough water just to cover them, cook over a low heat until tender (fresh figs need 5-15 minutes cooking time, depending on their ripeness; dried figs should be first soaked for 12 hours with a squeeze of lemon juice before being stewed in their soaking liquid).
• Drain the figs and retain 1 ¼ cups of the liquid (top up with hot water if necessary); pour a little of the juice into a basin, add the cornstarch and mix until it resembles a thin smooth cream; gradually add the rest of the liquid, stirring well.
• When mixed return the juice to the saucepan and place over a moderate heat; stir until thickened, then cook for another 2 minutes; mix in the spice, currants and syrup and remove from heat.
• Arrange the figs over the pastry then pour the thickened fig liquid over them, making sure the currants are evenly distributed.
• Bake the pie on the middle shelf of the oven pre-heated to 400F / 200C / gas mark 6 for 30-35 minutes; serve hot or cold with cream or vanilla ice cream.