Gala Pie is a traditional English recipe for a classic pie of veal and ham cooked with hard boiled eggs in the centre that's cooked in a hot water crust in a loaf tin that's finished with a jellified stock. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic English version of: Gala Pie.
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A Gala pie is essentially a pork-pie style pie made of veal and ham in a meat jelly stock with hard-boiled eggs nestled in the centre of the meat mixture that's baked in a loaf tin lined with hot water crust. If made without the eggs, it's an Ascot Pie.
For the Filling:
500g raw stewing veal, diced
500g ham, diced
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
For the Jelly Stock:
pork bones
1 pig's trotter
1 large carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bouquet garni (leek leaf encasing thyme, bay leaf, parsley and celery leaves)
1.5l cold water
Method:
Begin with the jelly stock. Combine all the ingredients in a stockpot and bring just to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 2 hours. Strain the liquid and return to the pot. Bring back to a boil and reduce to 625ml. Set aside to keep warm.
Now prepare the hot water crust according to the recipe. As soon as the pastry is ready, roll it out and use to line the base and sides of a greased loaf tin (about 11 x 30cm).
Mix together the ingredients for the filling and season with the black pepper (do not add the eggs). Layer half the meat mixture into the loaf tin. Arrange the eggs on top (they need to point along the long axis of the tin). Space them evenly. Now carefully pack the remaining meat mixture around and over the eggs so that they are completely covered. Take the remaining pastry and form a lid. Crimp this down onto the edges to seal. Cut a hole in the centre (this allows steam to escape during cooking and is where you add the jelly stock later). If there are any scraps of pastry left use these to decorate the top of the pie.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C, cover the top of the pie with foil and bake for another 90 minutes.
Remove from the oven, put a funnel in the hole in the top crust and pour in the jelly stock. Add this slowly so it has time to spread through the meats. Set aside to cool completely then carefully turn out of the loaf tin and slice.
