Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/912715
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER 2017 14 Food Method 1. Put all ingredients in a large bowl, start- ing with the dried fruit, mixed peel, apples, suet and sugar, add the almonds and mix all well. 2. Add the flavouring and rum. 3. When all is well blended, put into dry jars, pressing down firmly. 4. Store in a cool dry place until needed for mince pies. Leave the mixture sit for a couple of weeks for the flavours to mix. 5. To make the pastry, sieve flour and salt into mixing bowl. 6. Chop up the fats into chunks and mix into the flour and salt with your fingers until they resemble breadcrumbs, lifting the mixture as you go along. 7. Make a hole in the middle and mix in the cold water to which you have added the lemon juice and the egg yolk (mixed together). 8. Mix altogether with a knife, until it begins to blend then continue with your hands kneading until bound and soft. You should now have a large ball. 9. Wrap this in greaseproof paper or a plas- tic bag, and refrigerate for at least half an hour or until you need it. When ready to use, take out of the fridge and bring back to room temperature then roll out as required on a cold floured surface. 10. Roll out the pastry to 0.3 cm thick. Cut out rounds with a 7.5 cm fluted cutter and the same amount of rounds with a 5.5 cm fluted cutter. 11. Line greased patty tins with the large rounds. 12. Fill with a teaspoon of prepared mince- meat. 13. Dampen edges of small rounds with water and a pastry brush. 14. Place on top and press well all round the edges, prick the top with a fork and either freeze or bake. 15. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 220°C for 15 – 20 mins until just golden. 16. Take out carefully and serve hot dusted with icing sugar. Tip You can prepare the mince pies and freeze them at step 14. Freeze in the tin to start with and when frozen, place in a box with a layer of greaseproof paper between rows of mince pies. Bake from frozen for 15 – 20 mins. Mince pies Ingredients Mincemeat • 200g apples, peeled and grated • 200g mixed peel, finely chopped • 200g currants • 200g sultanas • 200g raisins • 200g white sugar • 200g suet • 25g blanched almonds, chopped • ¼ nutmeg, grated • 1 orange, zest and juice • 1 lemon, zest and juice • 1 tangerine, zest and juice • 1 glassful of dark rum Shortcrust pastry • 400g plain flour • 100g butter or margarine • 100g lard or white flora • 1 egg yolk • approx 100ml very cold water • 1 tbsp lemon juice • Pinch salt Pippa Mattei The Christmas season has not really started until you've had your first mince pie. Although you can buy them from just about anywhere, there is something special about making your own. Make your own mincemeat to make use of local citrus fruit that is so full of flavour at this time of year. This is Pippa Mattei's tried-and-tested (many, many times) recipe.