SWEETBREAD PIE

SERVES 6

30 MINUTES PREPARATION TIME

1 HOUR 55 MINUTES COOKING TIME

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) milk

1 tablespoon coarse salt

400 g (14 oz) veal ‘heart’ sweetbreads, prepared by the butcher

300 g (10½ oz) pork scotch fillet (échine de cochon)

60 g (2¼ oz) butter, chopped

150 g (5½ oz) speck (smoked pork belly), cut into thin matchsticks

150 g (5½ oz/1²/₃ cups) button mushrooms, thinly sliced

4 French shallots, finely chopped

100 ml (3½ fl oz) white port

150 ml (5 fl oz) thin (pouring) cream

Salt and pepper

Plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting

2 sheets (25 x 25 cm/10 x 10 inches) frozen puff pastry, partially thawed

1 egg yolk, lightly whisked

THE SWEETBREADS

Combine the milk with 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) of water in a large saucepan. Add the coarse salt and sweetbreads. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water.

Remove the filaments and membrane. Cut the sweetbreads into 1 cm (½ inch) cubes.

THE FILLING

Mince the pork fillet in a mincer using a medium–coarse mincing disc. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt 50 g (1¾ oz) of the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Sauté the sweetbreads, speck, mushroom and shallot, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Add the port and cream and reduce until all the liquid has been absorbed. Cool slightly then add to the minced (ground) pork. Mix well, season then cool.

THE PIE

Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F/Gas 2–3).

Butter and flour a 10 x 20 cm (4 x 8 inch) loaf (bar) tin or terrine dish. Line the base and sides of the tin with a sheet of pastry, trimming to fit. Allow the pastry to overhang by 1 cm (½ inch). Add the filling. Cut the remaining pastry to fit the top of the pie. Moisten the edges then place on top and join with the other sheet of pastry. Glaze with the egg yolk and make a hole in the middle (it will act as a ‘chimney’). Bake for 1½ hours, or until golden. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes. Serve lukewarm or cold.