Scotch Egg Picnic Pie Recipes

PEA & HAM PICNIC EGGS

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and gently lower in 4 of the eggs with a spoon. Cook for 10 mins, then scoop out and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
• Peel and chop the boiled eggs into small pieces. Tip into a bowl, then gently fold through the peas, ham hock and mayonnaise. Season. The mayonnaise will help bind everything, but don't overmix, or the egg will start to break up. Set aside.
• Mash the sausagemeat, mustard, parsley, sage and some seasoning together with your hands until well combined. Divide the mixture into 16 walnut-sized balls. Press one of the balls flat in your palm to make a thin disc, then add a heaped teaspoon of the pea and ham filling to the centre. Close your hand to wrap the sausagemeat around the filling, then press and pinch to seal well. Reroll into a neat ball in your hands, then transfer to a plate and chill. Repeat with the remaining sausagemeat balls and filling.
• Put the remaining eggs in a shallow bowl and beat, then tip the flour and breadcrumbs onto two separate plates. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dust the chilled picnic eggs in the seasoned flour, then dip into the beaten egg, then finally roll in the breadcrumbs until well coated.
• Fill a large pan or wok no more than a third full with the oil and heat to 180C, or until a cube of bread sizzles when dropped into the oil, and browns in 30 seconds. Lower the picnic eggs into the oil in batches of four or five, and turn every minute for 3-4 mins, until evenly golden and crisp all over. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper while you cook the remaining batches. Scatter with some sea salt and serve with mustard mayo or minty tartare sauce, or serve cold.

SCOTCH EGG PIE

Steps:

• Put 6 of the eggs in a large pan of cold water. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat. Leave for 5 mins, then lift out eggs and cool under cold running water. Peel.
• Snip the ends of the sausages and squeeze the meat out into a mixing bowl. Add the mace, thyme, 75g of the breadcrumbs, 1 egg and some ground pepper, and mix together well - you'll probably need to get your hands in.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Criss-cross 2 long strips of baking parchment in a 20cm pie tin or round cake tin (to help you lift out the pie). Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured surface to line the tin. Scatter remaining breadcrumbs over the base of the pastry, then pat in about a quarter of the sausage mixture. Evenly space the peeled eggs on top, then gently pack the meat around and over - trying to evenly cover the eggs without leaving any gaps.
• Roll out remaining pastry, cover the pie, then trim the edges. Pinch and crimp edges to seal, poke a steam hole in the top, then glaze with the final egg, lightly beaten with a fork. Scatter with the sesame seeds, then bake for 30 mins.
• Remove the pie from the oven and carefully remove it from the tin. Place on a baking tray and return to the oven for 10 mins to brown the sides of the pie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then serve in chunky wedges.

SCOTCH EGG PICNIC PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the flour and butter into a food processor and process to fine crumbs. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water and pulse until it forms a firm dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth ball. Roll out and line the base and sides of a 21-22cm deep flan tin or 20cm springform cake tin. Trim the edges and chill the tart case while you prepare the filling.
• Put the eggs in a small pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 4 mins. Cool quickly under running cold water and peel off the shells.
• Chop the parsley and thyme. Tip the sausagemeat into a large bowl and add half the herbs, a little salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Press a third of the sausagemeat over the base of the pastry case and make a circular trench in the sausagemeat. Trim the ends off each egg and line them up to form a ring of egg, then cover with the remaining sausagemeat, forming a smooth dome and making sure the eggs are completely covered.
• Mix the remaining herbs with the breadcrumbs and oil, and sprinkle evenly over the pie. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hr until the pastry is golden, the filling cooked and the topping crisp and golden. If there are any juices bubbling around the edge of the pie, carefully tip them into a jug and discard. Leave the pie to cool in the tin. Will keep in the fridge for a few days. Take to the picnic still in the tin covered in foil or cling film, and serve cut into thick slices with cornichons and salad, if you like.