1245. Devonshire Squab Pie

First, make two pounds of short paste (No. 1253), roll it up in a clean cloth, and set it aside till wanted. Then, cut about two pounds of griskin of pork in slices, season these with a little chopped onion, sage and thyme, pepper and salt, and place them on a dish ; cut one pound of streaky bacon (previously parboiled for a quarter of an hour) also in slices, and put them with the pork; to these add about a dozen good apples, which, when peeled, and the cores taken out, must be cut in thick slices and put on a plate. Next, take rather more than half the paste, roll it out, and line an oblong tin mould, about two inches deep, with it; then, arrange the pork, bacon, and apples in this, in alternate layers, commencing with the bacon, over this put slices of apples, and then the pork, and so on until the whole is used up. The remainder of the paste must now be rolled out, and used to cover the pie with; fasten it securely round the edges, trim it, and pinch it round boldly with the pincers; ornament the top with leaves, etc, egg it over and bake it in an oven of moderate heat, for about two hours, and serve it hot.

1246. Leicestershire Pork Pie

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Cut the pork up in square pieces, fat and lean, about the size of a cob-nut, season with pepper and salt, and a small quantity of sage and thyme chopped fine, and set it aside on a dish in a cool place. Next, make some hot-water-paste, using for this purpose (if desired) fresh-made hog's-lard instead of butter, in the proportion of eight ounces to the pound of flour. These pies must be raised by hand, in the following manner: - First, mould the paste into a round ball upon the slab, then roll it out to the thickness of half an inch, and with the back of the right hand indent the centre in a circle reaching to within three inches of the edge of the paste; next, gather up the edges all round, pressing it closely with the fingers and thumbs, so as to give to it the form of a purse; then continue to work it upwards, until the sides are raised sufficiently high; the pie should now be placed on a baking-sheet, with a round of buttered paper under it, and after it has been filled with the pork - previously prepared for the purpose, covered in with some of the paste in the usual manner. Trim the edges, and pinch it round with the pincers, decorate it, egg it over and bake it until done : calculating the time it should remain in the oven, according to the quantity of meat it contains.

1247. Eel-Pie, A L'Anglaise

Bone two good-sized Thames eels, spread them out on a dish, and sprinkle them over with a little pepper and salt. Make some quenelle force-meat with either perch, tench, or carp : and after having mixed some chopped mushrooms, parsley, one shalot, spread a thick layer of it inside each eel, roll them up, cut the eel into four-inch lengths, and place them on a dish until wanted. Next, line a plain mould with short 26 paste (No. 1253), arrange the pieces of eels in it, in neat order, season between each layer with chopped parsley and mushrooms, pepper and salt, and a spoonful of good Bechamel sauce; cover in the pie, in the usual manner, with some of the paste, pinch the edge round, ornament the top, egg it over, and bake it in the oven for about an hour and a half: when done, dish it up on a napkin, and send to table.

Note. - When eel-pies are intended to be eaten cold, the top should be carefully removed, and the pie ornamented with aspic-jelly.