Adding German love to Kiwi pork pie

Cordis Auckland Executive Chef Volker Marecek with his Cordis High Tea Pork Pie. 29 November 2017 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Dean Purcell.

From: Volker Marecek, Executive Chef, Cordis Auckland

Dish: Pork Pie

Why he chose this dish: "I am German, and Germans love our pork. This is New Zealand, where it is possible to get good pork. So it is only natural for me to come up with a pork pie that combines where I came from and where I am now. My pork pie is on the menu at the Cordis High Tea, where I see that it is a favourite for many. So today, I share the secret recipe so those who cannot come to the Cordis can have a go with it at home."

Pastry
Pie pastry
375g plain flour
1 large egg yolk
125ml water
110g margarine or butter
1/2 tsp salt
beaten egg for glaze

To make pastry, slowly heat water and margarine/butter in a saucepan. Once the fat is melted, boil for 2 minutes. Put flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the seasoning and egg yolk into the well, cover with some flour and quickly pour in the contents of the saucepan, stirring continuously. Once cooled, knead into a ball then leave covered for 30 minutes in a warm place.

Pie filling
450g minced pork
250g small diced pork
1 granny apple diced
2 shallots very small diced
60ml water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp parsley
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
pinch crushed cloves
gelatine

Separate about two thirds of the dough into five balls, each around the size of a billiard ball. The other third of the dough will be used later for the lids. Make each pie casing by moulding a ball around the outside of the bottom of a pint glass. Stretch the dough up the glass for around 1.5 inches so that the pastry is reasonably thin. The pastry is easier to remove if the glass is coated in flour first.

To make the pie filling, simply mix all ingredients together.

Fill the pastry casings with the pork mixture. Roll out the remainder of the pastry using a rolling pin. Cut out lids using the top of the pint glass as a pastry cutter. Place lids on pies, sealing around the edges with some water. Using the point of a knife, make a hole in the centre of each lid to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 180 C in the centre of the oven for around 1 hour, glazing with a beaten egg yolk occasionally.

After cooking, leave to cool before eating. Reheat some stock with gelatine and fill it into the whole