Shakespearean Meat Pies
User Reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
45 mins
-
Cook Time
2 hrs 45 mins
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Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
24 servings
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Calories
333 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
British
Shakespearean Meat Pies
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Professor Ken Albala shares his take on Funeral Baked Meats, Elizabethan Era Meat Pies from Shakespeare's Hamlet.
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Ingredients
Pastry Ingredients
- 4 cups pastry flour (use pastry flour for a flakier result)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup water
- 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
Filling Ingredients
- 1/2 pound veal shoulder meat (weight should not include bone)
- 1 pound suet (or raw beef fat - suet preferable, finely chopped but not into a paste)
- 1/4 pound dried currants
- 1/4 pound dates
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon mace
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron
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Instructions
- In a large pot, cover the veal with cold water. Cover pot with a lid and simmer until tender, about 1 ½ hours.
- Drain and allow the veal to cool. Then chop it finely with the chopped suet or beef fat. Note that suet will produce a better texture result; beef fat will make for a greasier pie, but it is easier to locate than suet so we add it here as an alternative. Add in currants, chopped dates, sugar and spices. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.To make crust, first melt the butter in 1 cup of water. Heat just until the butter is melted, do not boil.
- In a large mixing bowl, make a well in the center of the 4 cups of flour. Mix in water/melted butter mixture until well combined. Let sit until it reaches room temperature. Mix in egg yolks. The dough should come together as a ball.
- Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes, then divide into 4 equal portions.
- On a floured surface roll the dough to 1/16 inch thickness, then cut out 24 4-inch circles. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 24 3-inch circles.
- Place the larger dough circles into the bottoms of a greased muffin tin, then spoon in 2 tbsp of filling.
- Top with the smaller dough circles, pressing down to make sure that there are no air pockets between the dough and the filling. Use a fork to crimp the top and bottom edges together.
- Make a vent in the top by cutting a small “x” in the center.
- Place muffin tins on a baking sheet, then bake for 1 hour rotating the pan halfway through, till golden brown and baked through.
- If you open the oven and see that fat is draining from the pies onto the baking sheet, don't worry, this is likely to happen (especially when using beef fat in place of suet) and will not ruin the pies.
- Serve warm or at room temperature (we preferred them warm). They are similar to sweet mince pies. Note they tend to get greasy after sitting for prolonged periods of time; keep pies separated by layers of parchment or wax paper when storing.
Notes
- You will also need: 2 muffin tins (1 dozen each tin), mixing bowls, large pot with lid, small saucepan, 4 inch biscuit ring, 3 inch biscuit ring, sheet tray, rolling pin, flat surface for rolling, fork, knife
- Adapted from The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
333kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
27g
(9%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Cholesterol
46mg
(15%)
Sodium
93mg
(4%)
Potassium
180mg
(5%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
12g
(24%)
Vitamin A
140IU
(3%)
Vitamin C
0.2mg
(0%)
Calcium
19mg
(2%)
Iron
1.1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 24servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 333 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 333kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 27g | 9% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Cholesterol | 46mg | 15% |
| Sodium | 93mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 180mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 140IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 19mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
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