Individual Pork Pies

These are inspired by Kevin Dundon and SuperValu's recipe cards. I've simplified it some what for a working day meal fix. Use the best pork sausages you can afford and perhaps some flavoured ones for special occasions. They are delectable hot but just a nice cold and if you're entertaining they can be made in a Muffin tin for Canapes. I serve this with baby potatoes, halved, seasoned and baked alongside the pies and green salad.


Makes 4

Ingredients
454g Luxury pork Sausages
400g - 500g Ready made Shortcrust pastry
1 tbsp dried herbs
1 tbsp milk or 1 beated egg

Method
Preheat the oven to 180C degrees and grease and flour 4 ramekins. The addition of the flour helps unmould the cooked pies. Oil each ramekin first and the shake a 1tbsp of plain flour around the bottom and sides of the ramekin, catch the excess flour in your cupped hand.

Line the ramekins with the pastry leaving enough pastry for the four lids.

Cut the sausages open and mix with the herbs and place the filling into the pastry lined ramekins. Wet the edges and stick the lid on, pressing together to prevent the lovely juices from escaping. Brush with the milk or egg and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Variation: To bulk out the sausagemeat or sneek some vegetables into the mix, try adding 100g grated carrot and a grated onion (pictured). Sometimes I buy Garlic and Herb sausages and they are only 340g so a handful of breadcrumbs pad out the filling and my ramekins are slightly larger than most!