Sausage pies with bacon and mustard recipe

These sausage pies, bacon and mustard pies are an easy-to-make picnic classic. 

We've made our sausage pie recipe into mini versions so that they're simple finger food for warm summer evenings, but if you prefer you could definitely make this recipe into one large family sharing-style pie, one of our most popular buffet food ideas. For little pies we think a side of pickles, salad and crusty bread would be perfect - like a ploughman's lunch - but if you've gone for a big version then why not serve it alongside some big bowls of colourful summer salads and sandwiches? Don't be daunted about making your own pastry - this hot-water pastry is one of the easiest kinds to do.

Ingredients

• 400g good-quality sausages
• 100g smoked bacon lardons
• 6 sun-blush tomatoes, chopped
• 5 sage leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

For the hot-water crust pastry:

• 500g plain flour
• 1½ tsp salt
• 75g butter, chilled and cubed
• 100g vegetable fat or lard
• 1 medium egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Set the oven to 200°C. Snip the skin off the sausages. Put in a large bowl. Add the lardons, sunblush tomatoes, sage, mustard and freshly ground pepper. Mix together well.
2. To make the pastry, put the flour and salt into a food processor. Add the butter and blitz for a few seconds, until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
3. Put the vegetable fat or lard and 150ml water into a pan, heat until the fat has melted and is just bubbling.
4. Turn on the food processor at a low speed and carefully pour the hot fat mixture through the top. Blend until it has just combined.
5. Turn the pastry out on to the work surface, knead together until smooth, then reserve a third of it and wrap it in cling film.
6. Roll out the larger piece on a lightly floured surface and cut out 5 x 9cm rounds. Ease these into the muffin tins. Re-roll trimmings and cut out another round and line the last tin.
7. Divide the sausage mixture between each pie. Roll out the rest of the pastry and cut out 6 smaller rounds, using 6cm cutters. Brush the edges with water and put on top of the filling.
8. Ease the base pastry further up the sides of the pies and over the lid and seal well.
9. Cut a slit in the top, then brush with egg to glaze. Bake for 35-40 mins, until the pastry is golden. Cool in tins for 5-10 mins.

Top tip for making sausage pies with bacon and mustard 

If you really can't face making your own pastry you can use a packet of supermarket readymade shortcrust pastry. 

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