Christmas means one thing in my family: bacon pies. My grandma's savory hand pies are stuffed full of onion, garlic, and of course, lots and lots of smoked bacon to create the perfect holiday treat.
The process begins in the early morning morning hours of Christmas Eve Day when my grandma inevitably wakes up hours before I do and begins working on the dough. By time I blink into existence it's time for the laborious task of finely mincing the smoked meats and onions - never quite to the satisfaction of my Grandma's watchful French eyes. Despite helping make bacon pies for years, the fiddly dough usually culminates in less than gorgeous looking pies on my tray and perfect looking ones on my Grandma's. The kitchen fills after each batch emerges from the oven, with each member of my family awaiting our first bite of a steamy bacon pie since the previous Christmas. While shared with and loved by the whole family, a separate plate can be found stowed away from extended family in the cupboard to be enjoyed Christmas morning.
My Grandma's recipe holds a level of secrecy akin to a Paul Hollywood technical challenge, but is oh so worth the effort. Good luck!
.
Dough Ingredients:
2 lbs all purpose flour
4 packages of fresh yeast
8 oz. butter
1 tsp salt
1.5 - 2 cups whole milk
Filling Ingredients:
1.5 lbs heavy smoked bacon
1.5 lbs Westfalen Ham (or another heavy smoked ham)
1.5 lbs onions
1 head garlic
"Lots" of fresh cracked pepper
Method:
Make dough, let rise.
Roll out and cut for small pasties (about 4 inch circles)
Finely mince bacon, ham, onions, and garlic. Once you think you've minced all ingredients finely enough, go over the whole lot one more time for good measure. Evenly combine in a large bowl.
In a cast iron skillet,
Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the pastry and fold to make half moons. Seal edges with egg.
Egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes at 450 degrees.
The recipe is challenging and time consuming, but no other flavor reminds me of home quite like these delights. Trust me, it's absolutely worth every minute.
Pro tip: These things go fast! Do yourself a favor and place a few in your favorite container and hide them in your room for later that night.
Comments