www.sausagemaking.org

Here goes then, It's not the most perfectly formed pie but smells and tastes delicious, and the crust is quite light considering... so it'll be just a mild heart attack then.








And yes, I did make it in the style of the leaning tower of pisa, it's called rustic.

Regards, Paul Kribs

Mmmmmmmm.

I can smell it from here. Looks great.

Looks really good Paul. I get my kitchen back in a week's time so I'm looking forward to making some myself.

Thats looks really tasty Paul, I could put up with a mild heart attack for a bite of that

I have now updated the sausage making section of my website to include a picture sequence on using the pie dolly. Nothing different to what I have posted on this thread except the thumbnails link to larger, juicier pictures.

Regards, Paul Kribs

Paul
Looks good, I am now in reciept of my pie dolly CHEERS. So hopefully will have a play at the weekend. What im not going to put in my pork pie is body's business.

Shaun

As I have said, it's not that easy so take your time. The most difficult part is removing the dolly from the case. I believe it's a temperature issue, as well as vacuum. Also remember to dust the dolly with flour.
As you can see in the 3rd photo of my sequence, the inside bottom of the pie is whiter than the rest and has firmed up first, this where I put it in the fridge for a while. If it seems it doesn't want to come out give it some gentle rocking movement without breaking the sides.

Regards, Paul Kribs

Well I couldn't wait any longer. The new kitchen isn't quite finished, the floor and wall tiles are not down yet and not all the fixtures are in but the work surfaces are in and the oven and hob are wired up and plumbed in.
I decided I had to give Paul Kribbs' dolly a go and make a pie.
I had no real snags, Paul's suggestion that temperature is the issue when removing the dolly seems to be right.
The only thing I did differently was that, after pushing the dolly into the pastry (made exactly to the recipe already posted) to form the base, I then flipped the dolly and pastry over and worked it downwards rather than trying to raise it up. I found it much easier as I was not working against gravity. I also made sure there was plenty of flour between the dolly and the pastry and did not grease the dolly first. I then popped it in the chiller (still upside down on the dolly) for 10 minutes while I mixed the filling.
When I took it out the dolly came out without any problems, probably due to the excess flour and maybe not greasing the dolly (which I thought would set and cause it to stick).
I tapped out the excess flour and filled the pie with the mixture, popped the lid on. I didn't have any eggs so just brushed with a bit of milk (egg definately would have been better) and put it in the oven for the times Paul used.
It oozed a bit but looks great and tastes fantastic.

Pictures below:

Just to add:

The filling I used was some sweet italian sausagemeat I had left over in the freezer (hence the pinkness as it has cure in it) I added a good glug of homemade Worcestershire sauce, some sauteed finely chopped onions and some small cubes of cheese. I was going to include some pickle but I didn't have any.
It's all gone now, my wife and I had a couple of big wedges for lunch then the Mother-in-law came round and took the rest home for her tea.
Looks like I'm going to have to do a batch of them!!

@ Paul: Mine seems to have come out straighter than yours but I've got to say yours was definitely crimped better

Anyone else played with their dollies yet?

That's a nice looking cooker - what make/model is it (I need a new cooker).

Spuddy,
Glad you enjoyed the saga with the dolly. The old english term "raising a pie" eminates from many years ago, you have disspelled the adage by turning the dolly upside down. I believe it doesn't matter as long as you get the desired result. I didn't even think of flouring the pastry prior to raising it, so it is a tip I shall bear in mind in the future. It's all a case of the learning curve. BTW, your pie looks good enough to eat

Regards, Paul Kribs

@ Aris

It's one of these (the 120cm one at the top of the page). Just had it fitted as part of the new kitchen.
It's the only one I could find with two decently powered wok rings
.:
http://www.britannialiving.co.uk/_cms/view.php?docid=63

I was hoping to try out my dolly this weekend but things have been just too hectic. We have a spanish student staying with us at the moment (for the whole of July ) and because he only arrived on Friday we are all still trying to get to know each other.

But I will make a pie or two as soon as I can, I hope mine turns out as good as those shown here.

PS I also hope to get some Spanish sausage ideas/recipes from the student

I too had a go at pork pies yesterday. Sorry no pictures and we have eaten them now . I cocked up a bit with the pastry. It was too wet so had to keep adding flour. I used Terry's first recipe the one for 2 to 3 pies not sure where I went wrong. Had a bit of a problem getting them off the dolly, but not that bad.
I split a few somerset apple sausages for the filling. One with and one without boiled egg. Tasted spot on for me, the wife and daughter said they where a little too sweet "no pleasing some people" I will use the second recipe"the one with butter" for my next batch and post pictures.
Anyone tried to freeze them, if so what results

Shaun

The first recipe was TV chef Brian Turners, and it was designed to be cooked inside a pyrex mould. As we are using dolly's to form the pies I would suggest knocking back the hot water content a bit, down to about 75% of the recipe. Also use Spuddy's tip and flour the pastry before pushing the dolly home. We'll all get it right in the end. I recall the Melton Mobray piemaker saying it takes about 2 years to be able to make them properly, so we're not doing so bad.

I should imagine that you could freeze them OK in the raw state, because supermarkets sell small frozen steak and kidney puddings which have a similar texture to the hot crust pastry. I can also recall about 15 years ago they used to sell frozen packs of 'party pork pies with pickle' in a cooked state. I also recall that these were very dry once thawed.
It would be nice to find out for sure.

Regards, Paul Kribs