Bacon and Egg Pie

Who doesn't love B&E Pie? Great for farmers in-betweens or for lunch, this classic is an easy meal whipped up in no time. It can be enjoyed hot or cold and is great with a bit of home-made tomato sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

• 700gm puff pastry see quick puff pastry or see good simple shortcrust pastry (either is fine)
• 1 dozen eggs- free range are best
• 10 rashers of bacon- rind off and chopped into 2cm squares
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 large onion
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• seasoning

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 180 degree Celsius. Roll out your pastry and line a 30cm pie tin/tart tin. Keep aside the remaining pastry to make the top. Scatter the peas, onion, about 2/3 of the bacon (and herbs if you are using them) over the pastry in the bottom of the pie dish. Break 10 of the eggs one at a time into the pie- try not to break the yolks. Finish with the remaining bacon.
Whisk the remaining eggs, milk or cream and drizzle over the top of the pie. Grind some pepper and salt over to taste.
Roll the remaining pastry for the top of the pie. I cut this into strips and make a woven top, but if you are in a hurry one piece is fine. Dampen the edges of the pastry case with a little water and carefully place the remaining pastry on top. Press the pastry case and top together to seal and trim edges.

Glaze the pie with whisked egg yolk and water (you don't need to do this if you weave the top because some egg bubbles through and does it for you!). Bake for 50 -55 minutes. Leave in the tin to cool.

TIPS:

• Use the freshest eggs possible, I have chooks but often you can pick up free range eggs from roadside stands as well as at the supermarket. The fresh taste and bright yellow colour of farm fresh eggs is simply unbeatable.
• You can add fresh herbs to this if you wish, parsley and chives are great
• Sometimes I add a little ground nutmeg to the milk/cream to give it a little flavour kick

You can make a large pie and then cut it up and freeze it for lunch boxes