Pulled pork and caramelised leek shortcrust pie

A golden, buttery shortcrust filled with sweet leeks and tender pork for the ultimate comforting pie.

Cut:
  • Portions: 6
  • Prep: 30 minutes
  • cook: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the pork filling

  • 700 g pork shoulder
  • 1 L chicken or vegetable stock

For the shortcrust pastry

  • 400 g flour
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
  • 180 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 3–4 Tbsp (45–60 ml) ice cold water

For the leek filling

  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
  • Olive oil
  • 3 large leeks, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) thyme
  • ⅓ C (80 ml) pork cooking stock
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) wholegrain mustard
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) Dijon mustard
  • ¼ C (60 ml) cream
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) sage leaves, roughly chopped

To assemble and serve

  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Fresh thyme leaves
  • Buttery mash

Method

For the pork filling:
Place the pork shoulder and stock in a pressure cooker and cook for 45–60 minutes until the pork is tender and easily shredded. Remove the pork from the liquid and shred with two forks. Reserve the cooking stock.

For the shortcrust pastry:
The pastry can be made by hand or in a food processor. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the cubed butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 3 Tbsp (45 ml) ice water. Make a well in the flour mixture and gradually add the liquid while mixing with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Add a little extra water if needed. Gently bring the dough together with your hands to form a disc. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the leek filling:
Heat the butter with a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced leeks and sauté for about 8 minutes until softened and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes more. Pour in ⅓ C (80 ml) of the reserved pork stock and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly reduced. Stir in the wholegrain mustard, Dijon mustard, cream and sage. Add the shredded pork to the leek mixture and stir to combine; there should not be much liquid remaining. Allow the filling to cool completely.

To assemble:
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 20 cm springform cake tin with baking paper and lightly grease. Cut one-third of the pastry off and reserve for the lid. Roll the remaining pastry into a large disc and carefully press it into the base and sides of the prepared tin. Fill the pastry case with the cooled pork and leek mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid. Place it over the pie, trim any excess and pinch the edges together to seal. Brush the top with beaten egg and cut a small cross in the centre to allow steam to escape. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

To serve:
Transfer the pie to a serving platter, scatter with fresh thyme leaves and serve with buttery mash.

Serving suggestion: Serve with steamed green beans or buttered peas alongside the mash for a comforting Easter family lunch.