Fidget pie

The traditional pie of Shropshire, the Fidget is shrouded in mystery. Some say it got its name from its original five-sided or "fitched" shape, others that it is derived from "fitchett" - a local slang word for apple. One slightly baffling report claims that it was named because the pie's aroma is comparable to a ferret! The mind boggles.

Ingredients:

1 batch of shortcrust pastry (my recipe is here)
For the filling:
2 Ham Hocks
1 carrot
1 onion
2 bayleaf
6 peppercorns
a handful of parsley stalks

3 Medium Potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
2 Onions, peeled and sliced
2 Cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 oz butter
2 tblspn plain flour
2 tspn soft brown sugar
5 fl oz Stock from the Ham
6 fl oz cider
2 tblspn double cream
Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Place the ham hocks is a saucepan with the carrot, onion, bayleaf and peppercorns. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours.

2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions until soft. Add the flour and cook for one minute. Stir in the stock, cider and cream. Stir until smooth then add the potato and apples. Cook over a low heat for five minutes.

3. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and fat from the ham and strip the meat from the bone in decent sized chunks. Add to the filling and stir to combine.

4. Make the pastry as per my recipe here.

The good news is, everything up to this point can be done the day before, and will be easier to work with if you do.

5. Cut the pastry into two pieces - one twice the size of the other. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece to around ½cm thick and line a 10" lightly greasd pie tin, but don't trim the excess pastry. Roll the smaller piece to the same thickness and set aside.

6. Pack the filling into the pie, brush the edges with beaten egg then place the second pastry sheet on top. Press the edges together then trim off any excess pastry using a small sharp knife and crimp the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg, poke a few holes in the top and bake at 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 for 30 minutes.

If you are really pushed for time there are some shortcuts you could take: Use two or three thick slices of cooked ham cut into strips instead of the hock, make individial "pot pies" with pastry on the top only, and use shop-bought pre-rolled pastry.