Mrs B used to make this almost every week in winter and always for Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night. It is really a very deep pie, made in a 12” Pearsons’s of Chesterfield stoneware pot.

Each of the local families with a big enough garden used to take turns in hosting the ‘Night. It was always up to the boys of our hamlet of ‘High Moor’ to build the bonfire. Luckily the farms had old wood usually lying around so it was always easy to build a small monster. Some years we made small ‘camps’ inside. Health & Safety were two words rarely seen in the same sentence back then.

Fireworks were an absolute essential. To pay for them, a strapping ‘Guy’ was made from the oldest clothes available – he was always well dressed in an old jacket that had seen better days, and a tatty hat or flat cap. There then followed a dubious parade, in his wheelbarrow, around the 14 houses and the Rigbye Arms pub to the chorus of ‘Penny for the Guy’. Thankfully people were always very generous.

In the early years fireworks were only available in the bottom of the Makinson Arcade in Wigan, on a trestle opposite Slaters Menswear and next to the old, wizened money changer with his brass scales. Then, Standard Fireworks boxes arrived. Heaven. Amazingly, not a single person was even scorched…

Serves 6 to 8

Equipment

·       A 12” stoneware pot

·       Large deep saucepan

·       Meccanica Selvedge Denim Apron

Ingredients

For the pastry lid

• 750g plain flour
• 225g cold, unsalted butter or margarine, diced
• 225g cold lard, diced
• 10g salt (about 1–2 tsp)
• 2–3 tbsp ice-cold water, or as needed 

For the ‘hot pot’ filling

·       1kg King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes peeled

·       2 medium onions peeled

·       3 medium carrots peeled

·       350g coarsely ground beef mince or finely chopped stewing steak

·       1Ltr beef stock (or use 1 ½ stock cubes)

·       1 bay leaf

·       1 teaspoon thyme

·       ½ tsp salt ½ to 1 tsp white pepper to taste

Method - Pastry

1. Combine dry ingredients: Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl
2. Rub in the fat: Add the cold, diced butter and lard to the flour. Rub the fats into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Avoid overworking it, as this melts the fat and develops gluten, which can make the pastry tough.
3. Add the water: Using a knife, stir in the ice-cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the mixture starts to clump together. The dough should not be sticky. You may need to use a touch more water if it is too crumbly.
4. Bring the dough together: Use your hands to gently bring the clumps together into a smooth ball. Avoid kneading, as this will overwork the gluten.
5. Chill the dough: Flatten the dough into one 7mm thick disc that is 2cm larger than the top of the pot. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Chilling allows the gluten to relax, which prevents the pastry from shrinking while it bakes.

Method – Filling & Baking

1. Chop the potato into roughly 2cm pieces, the carrot into 1cm pieces and finely dice the onion – place in the pot, there is no need to fry anything.
2. Add the beef, bay leaf, thyme, salt and pepper. Just cover with the stock. If there is not enough stock, top up to just cover the ingredients. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes. The potatoes should just slide easily off a fork with a knock. Allow to cool.
3. Spoon the mixture into the stoneware pot (or casserole) and lightly butter the rim. It should fill to about 2cm from the top.
4. Place the pastry onto the pot and roughly pinch around the top, it should make a thick pastry edge. If it sags a little into the pot if the filing isn’t high enough don’t worry – it’s rustic. Make a hole in the centre. You can brush it with egg or milk, however this was not done in 1970’s High Moor.
5. Place in a pre-heated 180 C oven for 45 minutes taking care to not let the pastry burn.

Serve with homemade pickled beetroot, red cabbage and very finely sliced onion in vinegar.

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