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Egg and Ham Pies

Individual cold pies of crisp shortcrust pastry filled with ham (you could swap in cooked bacon), sweetish onion, and fresh parsley, all set in light and delicate egg.

Perfect as a snack, part of a salad meal, or for lunch boxes, picnics, parties and buffets.

You'll need a 12-hole deep muffin/baking tray in which to cook the pies.

It's recommended that you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.

Course Snack, Light Meal, Buffet, Picnic
Cuisine British
Keyword shortcrust pastry, mini pies, savoury pies
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 small pies
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

For the shortcrust pastry

  • 350 g plain flour (plus extra for rolling out)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 175 g cold butter (diced)
  • 4 - 6 tbsp iced water
  • 1 small egg, beaten (optional: for the glaze)

For the filling

  • 10 g butter
  • 1 tsp oil (e.g. light olive oil, sunflower oil)
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • salt and pepper
  • 100 - 120 g cooked ham, diced or shredded (can be replaced with cooked bacon)
  • 5 eggs (beaten)
  • 2 heaped tbsp finely chopped parsley

Instructions

Make the shortcrust pastry

  1. If using a food processor

    Put the flour, salt and butter into the food processor and whizz until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.

    With the motor still running add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the mixture starts coming together.

    If making by hand

    Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl. Rub in the butter so that the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

    Add 1 tbsp of cold water and stir it in with a round bladed knife. Continue adding tablespoons of water and stirring until the mixture starts coming together.

  2. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead into a smooth ball.

    Flatten into a disc then wrap in foil or cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Make the filling

  1. Put the butter and oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat.

    Add the chopped onion and season with salt and pepper.

    Cook, stirring regularly, until soft and lightly golden (15 - 20 minutes).

    Set aside to cool.

  2. Put the cooled cooked onion in a mixing bowl along with the chopped or shredded ham, the beaten eggs and the parsley.

    Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper.

Make the pies

  1. Preheat your oven to 200°C /180°C Fan /Gas 6 /400° F with a shelf positioned in the middle.

  2. Take the pastry from the fridge, cut in half, and return one half to the fridge.

    Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the pastry thinly (no more than 2-3 mm).

    Stamp out 6 circles large enough to come up the sides and reach the rim when placed in the holes of your deep muffin/baking tray (approx. 10 cm) plus 6 smaller circles for lids (approx. 8 cm). You will need to gather the scraps and re-roll them to get all 12 circles.

  3. Place one of the larger circles in 6 of the holes, gently pressing down so it sits on the bottom and comes up the sides.

    Stir the filling then spoon some into each pastry case: don't fill to the top as the filling will expand as it cooks. Stir the mixture regularly so the ham and onion are evenly distributed.

    Dip a finger into cold water and moisten all around the edge of each pastry case.

    Put a lid on each pie and press all around to seal.

    Repeat with the remaining half of the pastry and filling.

    (If you have any pastry and filling left over, keep it and make extra pies when the first batch has been baked).

  4. If adding the optional glaze, brush some of the small beaten egg over each pie.

    Cut two small slits in the top of each pie to let out steam.

Baking and storing the pies

  1. Put the tray of pies in the oven and bake until the pastry is set and golden brown (20 - 25 minutes).

    Optional: after 15 minutes brush over more of the beaten egg for a deeper glaze then return to the oven to finish baking.

  2. When the pies are done, place the baking tray on a cooling rack for 10 minutes then carefully remove the pies and place them directly on the rack.

    Leave until completely cold before eating or storing.

    Keep in the fridge and use within 3 - 4 days or can be frozen for a month.