Food expert shares simple shortcut to make flavourful pork pie in under an hour

Pork pies are produced all over the UK but it is the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie that is the most famous of all. Making them from scratch can be a bit of a challenge but the results are well worth it

Pork pies are a staple across the UK, but the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie is arguably the most renowned.

For those looking to personalise the taste and texture of this British favourite, making them from scratch is definitely worth a try. With a plethora of recipes available, a food and flavour expert has disclosed the simplest recipe that requires just a few ingredients. Phil Bianchi, food and flavour expert at The Gift of Oil, shared his method exclusively with Express.co.uk, suggesting that sometimes it's best to take shortcuts with the pastry. To enhance the flavour, infused oils can add a powerful punch without making the recipe too complex.

Ingredients

• 450g minced pork
• Half an onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• Sage, thyme, salt and pepper
• Garlic-infused olive oil
• Pre-made dough
• One egg, beaten
• Caramelised onion-infused balsamic to serve

Method

1. Start by preparing the filling. Put the onion and minced pork into a food processor and pulse four or five times.
2. Add the seasonings and pulse again to mix the ingredients. Preheat your oven to 175C and lightly coat a muffin tin with garlic-infused olive oil. Roll out the ready-made dough on a floured surface until it's thin, then cut out larger circles that will cover the bottom and sides of the muffin tray sections.
3. Then, cut out slightly smaller circles for the pie tops to be used later. Place the pie bottoms in each hole of the muffin tray and fill each one with about two tablespoons of the meat mixture.
4. Top with the smaller dough circles and pinch the edges together to create a pie shape. Brush the top with the beaten egg, and use a sharp knife to gently cut an X-shaped vent into the top of each pie.
5. Bake the pies for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Drizzle some caramelised onion-infused balsamic over the top of each one when ready to serve.