Theme Recipe: Raised Mutton Pies Sweeney Todd

This is macabre of me I know, but honestly...I just can't help myself.  I've actually made British raised pies before....so how in the world could have passed this chance up??  Besides, we have not one, but two musicals that feature cannibalism today!

Raised pies have been made for centuries...and not just in the British Isles.  The French are too snooty call a spade a spade, so they usually go the name something like Pate en Croute--but it's the same thing.  Actually on both sides of the channel tins that were called completely different things, were virtually identical to each other were used in very high end kitchens.  These can have almost any filling, but this is one of my personal favorites....and no, it doesn't contain human...  In the US it's hard to find mutton (unless you live around Owensboro KY), so the filling is actually made from lamb.

These are Beef and Ale Raised Pies

The Filling:

3/4 lb. lamb from the leg, finely chopped
3/4 cup heavy red wine, boiled to reduce to 2/3 cup
3/4 cup heavy brown stock (if you don't want to make this, 
   use one of those concentrated stock bases)
1 medium yellow onion, very finely chopped
1/2 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped (wild types are great!)
1 tsp. Dried crused Thyme
Salt and Fresh Black Pepper To Taste
1 lb. raised pastry dough
Wash:  1 well beaten egg
Chopped parsley to garnish

Raised Pastry Dough:

1 lb. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 lb. butter
1/4 lb. lard
1/2 cup milk mixed with water to make it 3/4 cup

For the filling:

1.  Combine the reduced wine and stock in saucepan and heat.  Add the onion, the mushrooms, the thyme and other seasonings, simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the meat and simmer for a further 30 minutes.  Drain the mixture and place each in separate bowls and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight).

2.  Skim any fat off the gravy.

For the crust (make day of baking):

1.  Sift the flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl.  Cut in the the butter.

2.  Place the lard in a pan with the milk and water and bring to boil, remove immediately.

3.  Make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the hot liquid and beat in with a fork.  Work with hands until the whole thing becomes a thick ball.  Let stand 10 minutes

To Finish:

1.  Raise the dough by either shaping individual pies around a jar or other mold slightly greased, or mold inside a slightly larger mold that has been lightly oiled.      I find the former easier (there is a raising by hand, but that is nothing Mrs. Lovett of Todd fame would have done...besides it a pain in the ass!).  You can set them aside as you mold--they dry enough to hold when filling.  This recipe make 12 small pies, so keep them small(ish), that what enough pastry is left for the lids.  After molding the pie shells, roll out the remaining dough and cut the lids to fit.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Begin adding cold filling to the pies and then put in 1 tbsp. of the cold gravy to each pie, there will be leftover gravy.  Heat the gravy slowly.  Meanwhile, cover the filled pies with the pastry lids and seal by pinching.  Gently cut a hole in each pie, add a small funnel into each pie and gently pour in the rest of the warmed gravy into each.

3. Place Pies on an ungreased baking sheet cover with some foil, and bake for 15 minutes.  Uncover and bake 10 more minutes.  Let rest for at least 15 minutes and serve with a sprinkling of parsley and favorite vegetable side dishes.