Bacon & Egg Pie

Bacon and egg pie is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner and, as it’s great served at room temperature, it makes ideal picnic fare. Best of all, the ingredients will be on hand in a well-stocked fridge. I was introduced to this pie by my friend Janni Kyritsis who makes his own pastry (see video below). I shortcut with Carême ready rolled, which is always in my freezer. Not being a pastry expert, I find it easiest to handle if I roll it out between pieces of baking paper. I use chives because they’re in my herb garden, but any soft herb – such as parsley, chervil, thyme or French tarragon – works just as well. I prefer pancetta to bacon as I find it crisps up quicker, but you can use either. And I love a glass of Traviati Rosso, a lovely soft red from Beechworth, with my bacon & egg pie.

Serves 6

Ingredients

445g sour cream shortcrust pastry, rolled
Butter, for greasing
10 eggs
1 x 200g piece pancetta
2 tablespoon chopped chives
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C.
Place a 23cm spring-form cake tin upside down on top of the pastry and cut around it to create a pastry circle. Place the circle on baking paper and refrigerate until needed.
Butter the cake tin.
Roll remaining pastry to about 30cm square and use to line the cake tin, folding pieces over each other as needed and leaving any long bits hanging over the edges. Refrigerate until needed.
Whisk 1 egg and set aside.
Slice pancetta thinly and cut into matchsticks. Place in a frying pan over high heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring often, until crisp.
Distribute half the pancetta over the base of the pastry and scatter half the chives over the top.
Break remaining eggs on top so that yolks are evenly distributed in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Scatter remaining pancetta, any pancetta fat, and chives over the top.
Pour over most of the whisked egg, leaving just enough to brush over the pastry.
Gently press pastry lid into the tin on top of the filling. Fold the overhanging sides of the pastry over the lid.
Cut a few slits into the lid to allow steam to escape.
Brush with remaining beaten egg.
Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C and cook for a further 35 minutes or so, until golden and crisp.
Set aside in the tin to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.