PARSLEY PIE

Yet another very old traditional recipe. There are two very differing versions in my old 1920s Cornish Recipes book, but I like the sound of the second, from Lostwithiel and start to prep.

“Line a deep round tin with good pastry crust”. I make a batch of my basic Pasty pastry:  12 oz plain flour, salt, 3 oz lard, 3 oz block hard marg, rubbed in roughly, mixed with a little very cold water. Chilled for at least an hour.

I lightly oil the tin [I used a 7”] and place 2 cross over long strips of baking parchment on the bottom, to help lift it out, when baked.

“Wash about 3 large handfuls fresh parsley thoroughly”. I started off my parsley plants about a month ago, in a large pot, in the greenhouse and now if it almost forest like. I do as ordered but chopped off all the long and larger stalks. It smelt absolutely wonderful.

I roll out enough pastry for the bottom layer and carefully lift it into the tin, then trim.

I also roll out the topping.

“lay half of the parsley in the bottom of the tin; cut two rashers of smoked bacon into small pieces and lay on the parsley”

By rashers they will mean large slices. This recipe is almost a hundred years old and there was no thin slithers in those days! I decide to use half pancetta cubes plus I have some left over roast gammon in the fridge. I dice that. I quickly fry off the pancetta as it probably contains some water. I will need to release that as I do not want soggy pastry.

I also decide to add a couple of small chopped shallots and half a crumbled vegetable stock cube”. This is not in the recipe, but will surely add to the flavours. I am serving this to my husband for his supper!

“Break on this 4 fresh eggs, distributing them evenly. See photos on my Blog.  Season well with salt and pepper, then lay the remainder of the parsley on top. Cover the top with a thin crust, make a hole in the centre and bake til well browned in a hot oven”.

I used plenty of fresh ground pepper and sea salt, then brush the edges of the crust to help it stick and also the top with a beaten egg. Into my fan oven at 190 deg C. for one hour, turning down to 175 for the last 15 mins.

My verdict. It was very tasty. But basically a bacon and egg pie with shed loads of parsley!

My husband enjoyed it, but then he loves all the old recipes - as long as they are not fishy!

As I bake and write, it is the last week of April and I serve it with Jersey Royals. No Cornish new potatoes yet due to the bad winter!

BUT - we were both burping like crazy for hours after. The vast quantity of parsley gave us chronic wind! Were our ancestors so used to it? They did love their parsley. Maybe this is why the dish died out????