Bacon and Egg Pie
Photography Yuki Sato.
Mum made the best fish and chips, Dad made a fantastic soufflé omelette with bacon and tomatoes (he couldn’t remember where that idea came from) and my gorgeous step-mum Rose, my Mother Number Two, made two great dishes. Corned beef with mustard sauce, and her bacon and egg pie.
Rose’s pie is definitely a family favourite. She was born in London so it’s great she embraced one of our classic Kiwi dishes when she moved here as an 18-year-old. Adding tomato is a point of contention and let’s not mention the peas! I’ve friends who can’t abide with either, who always have a pastry lid on it (otherwise it’s a quiche they say) and who always crack the whole eggs’ yolks — but that’s not how Rose makes hers. I’ve made this a lot in the UK where it’s often called an Egg and Bacon Pie. It keeps well in the fridge and is perfect for a picnic.
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS
500 grams puff pastry
50 grams butter
1 large brown onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
300 grams smoked bacon lardons or thick, streaky smoked bacon rashers, cut into batons
120 grams fresh or frozen or peas, see Cook’s note
9 large eggs
200ml cream
sea salt and ground pepper
200 grams tomatoes, sliced 5mm thick (use large or cherry tomatoes, and a variety of colours if you’d like)
60 grams grated cheese (use parmesan, gruyère or cheddar-style cheese or a mixture)
TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)
green salad
chutney or relish
METHOD
EQUIPMENT: 30cm–32cm round or 30cm x 22cm rectangular pie dish. Melt 20 grams butter and brush it over the pie dish. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes until the butter sets.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
Roll the pastry out 4mm thick. Press it firmly into the chilled tin, bringing it up the sides then trim the edges and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. Prick the base with a fork a dozen times, line with scrunched-up baking paper and quarter-fill with baking beans or rice.
Put on a tray and blind bake for 15–20 minutes until golden. Leave for 5 minutes then carefully remove the paper and beans.
Heat a frying-pan over a medium-high heat and cook the butter to a nut-brown colour. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly caramelised. Add the bacon and cook until the bacon has softened. Mix in the peas then take off the heat and leave to cool. Spoon half the mixture into the pastry case.
Crack 3 eggs into a bowl. Add the cream, season well with salt and pepper, then beat with a fork for 10 seconds. Stir in the remaining bacon mixture and pour into the pie dish.
Crack the remaining 6 eggs on top of the filling in a way that you’ll be able to cut portions of pie. Lay the sliced tomatoes on top and sprinkle with the cheese.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Leave to rest in the dish for 45 minutes to firm up before removing or serve straight from the dish. Rose’s pie can be eaten warm or at room temperature with a green salad and some chutney or relish, if desired.
COOK’S NOTE: If using frozen peas, pour a cup of hot water over them to defrost for 5 minutes then drain.
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.