‘Paleo Pie Sunday’ – It’s the new ritual in my house! I’ve been testing lots of new recipes for you guys that the gang here at the Paleo Crust ranch now know that on Sunday they get pie. I hope you’ll join us this Sunday and invite all your family and friends round for a healthy brunch. Paleo Pie Sunday – the new alternative to a Sunday Roast.
We all go about our Sunday morning to do lists, eek, I’m a big list maker, love making them, never finish them but hey everyone loves a trier right?! Knowing that at around 12 o’clock we’ll get to sit down together to the pie I’ve been rustling up in the Paleo Crust kitchen. It’s given me an insight into how the Masterchef contestants feel as they plate up for the discerning critics. On today’s panel I have my brother Jonathan, a 25 year old gym buff with the appetite of a small nation, my friend Mike, big on nutrition and fitness and, of course, a regular feature on the panel, my boyfriend Rob. With an all star male audience, will I make it through to the next round with today’s pie? I very much hope so!
Paleo pies are great served warm straight from the oven with a light salad like my Carrot and courgette salad with macadamia lime dressing, or equally tasty cold as an on the run snack. They last for up to 3 days in the fridge and freeze really well. I often cook up a batch, slice and put in the freezer for i’m super busy and need a quick bite to settle the hunger games in my tummy.
This one packs a tasty punch so wow your friends and family this weekend with my Iberian chicken and Merguez sausage pie. The sausages you can find in most good butchers. Originally from North Africa, they’re usually made from lamb and garlic spiced with cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, paprika and harissa. If you can’t get hold of any, a good quality nitrate free chorizo will do the trick.
Serves 4 (using a 20 inch sandwich tin)
INGREDIENTS
Base
- 1 chicken breast
- 180gm pork mince
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried peppers
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Miscuglio mix (Italian dried herb mix made from dried garlic, red pepper, oregano, basil, pepper, onion and thyme)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Topping
- 3 Merguez sausages
- 3 onions (mix of red and shallot)
- 6 baby tomatoes (mix of red and yellow)
- 4 baby peppers (mix of red, yellow and orange)
- 2 eggs
- Salt and pepper
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 190C.
In a food processor or mincer, blitz the chicken until it forms a mince paste (about 10 seconds).
Transfer to a bowl and add the pork mince, chopped garlic, dried peppers, red onion, parsley, Miscuglio, olive oil and seasoning. Mix well.
To make the miscuglio, mix equal measures of all the ingredients. If you make up a batch, store in an airtight jar and it will last for months. Alternatively you can order it online, a good choice is from Oil and Vinegar as there’s no hidden nasty’s, just pure ingredients.
Transfer the meat mix to a greased sandwich tin. Spread across the base and up the sides to make 1-2 cm deep crust. Par bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Once cooked, drain the juices and you’re ready for the toppings.
Remove the skins from the sausages and fry the meat in a pan for about 5 minutes until cooked through but not too crispy as it will continue to cook in the pie, breaking it up as you cook until it resembles a mince texture. Place to one side.
Next slice the onions, peppers and tomatoes in wedges and arrange onto of the pie crust.
Whisk the eggs, seasoning with salt and pepper and pour on top of the filling.
Scatter with the sausage meat and bake in the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the egg has set.
Healthy, hearty brunch… Dig in!
