Brunches Recipes - Egg and Bacon Pie

Ingredients

• Pastry

• 450 g (1 lb) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 125 g (41/2 oz) butter, chilled and cubed

• 250 g (9 oz) mascarpone

•  1 tablespoon olive oil

• 300 g (10 1/2 oz) bacon, diced

• 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

• 6 eggs

• 1 egg yolk

---

Method:

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the mascarpone and mix with a flat-bladed knife, using a cutting action, until the mixture begins to form lumps which leave the side of the bowl.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently gather into a smooth ball. Flatten slightly into a disc, then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/ Gas 3). Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 inch) metal pie dish. Put a baking tray in the oven to preheat. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon and onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until just browning. Stir in the parsley. Set aside to cool.

4. Divide the pastry into two portions, one slightly larger than the other. Roll out the larger portion between two sheets of baking paper until large enough to line the base and side of the pie dish. Line the pie dish.

5. Put the bacon mixture in the pastry shell and make six well-spaced holes in the mixture with the back of a spoon. Crack an egg into each of the holes. Brush the rim of the pastry with water.

6. Roll out the remaining pastry between the baking paper until large enough to cover the top of the pie. Lift it onto the pie, trim the excess pastry and seal the edges. Re-roll the trimmings and make leaves to decorate the pie.

7. Brush with egg yolk and bake on the hot tray for 40 minutes; cover if it browns too quickly. Leave for 10 minutes, then serve.