How to make your own pork pies 1 tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs ½ tsp salt 1½ tsp white pepper pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 2 twists of freshly ground black pepper 1 egg, beaten, to glaze ½ sachet of powdered gelatin For the pastry 190g (6½ oz) plain flour ¼ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 65g (2½ oz) vegetable fat, plus extra for greasing 60ml (2½ fl oz) water 2 tsp semi-skimmed milk Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Place both lots of pork in a bowl with the breadcrumbs and all the seasoning. Mix well. To make the pastry, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Melt the vegetable fat in a saucepan, add the water and milk and bring to the boil. Quickly mix this liquid into the flour to form a dough. Warm a 500g (1lb) pork pie tin in the oven for just a few seconds, then grease lightly. Take two-thirds of the warm pastry, place it in the tin and use your fingers to press it over the bottom and up the sides. If the pastry is not warm enough to mould, microwave it for just a few seconds. Spoon the meat filling into the pastry case until it is 5mm (¼in) below the top edge. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid, place it on top of the pie and crimp the edges firmly together. Reroll any pastry offcuts and use a decorative cutter to stamp out a shape for the top of the pie (I use a pig-shaped cutter). Stab the top of the pie with a skewer or chopstick to make a small steam hole, then glaze with the beaten egg and bake for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 50 minutes. The pie is ready when the pastry is golden brown and a temperature probe inserted in the middle registers 180-190°C (350-375°F). Set aside to cool to room temperature. Using a fine skewer, make a hole in the pie, ensuring it goes right through the meat. Make up the gelatin according to the packet instructions, then spoon it into the hole gradually, giving it time to percolate through the meat. You will have slightly more gelatin than you need. Set the pie aside until completely cold, then turn out of the tin, cut into wedges and serve. This recipe comes from Food Glorious Food (Octopus Publishing, RRP £20), available from Telegraph Books at £18 + £1.35p&p.