Pork and date pie by Michael Carroll

INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

For the pastry
170g chilled butter
½ tsp salt
280g plain flour
150-170g crème fraîche
Egg wash to glaze

For the filling 70g onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
50ml sunflower oil
15g ginger, minced
½ tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
500g pork belly, chopped
½ cinnamon stick
3 pieces dried orange peel
3 tomatoes, diced, peeled and seeded
5 fresh dates, chopped
500ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper

To serve Blanched spinach
Brown butter
Reduced veal stock

METHOD

Chill the bowl and blade of a food processor in the freezer. Put the butter, salt and flour in the bowl and crumb rapidly. Add the crème fraîche and pulse until the dough just holds together. Remove and form a ball. Wrap in film and chill for two hours. Roll out between sheets of film or silicone paper to 3mm thick. Cut out four bases and four slightly larger pastry lids. Rest in the fridge again.

Sweat the onion and garlic in oil until transparent. Add the ginger and ground spices. Cook for 10 minutes over a low heat until fragrant. Add the pork, cinnamon, orange peel, tomatoes, dates and stock. Bring to the boil, cover with a cartouche and bake in a moderate (170ºC) oven for about two hours. Take out the peel and cinnamon. Check the seasoning and chill.

For each pie, line a greased pie dish with pastry. Fill, cover with a pastry lid, seal and brush with egg wash. Rest the pies. Bake at 180ºC until golden - about 35 minutes.

Sauté the spinach in brown butter and place in the centre of the plate. Put the pie on top and a little stock around it.

Michael Carroll