For the filling

• 750g fatty pork belly, cubed
• 250g bacon lardons or streaky bacon, chopped
• A small bunch of thyme, leaves picked and chopped
• A handful of fresh breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp ground white pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• A good pinch of ground mace
• 1 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, lightly crushed
• Sea salt
• 5 free-range or organic eggs, at room temperature

For the hot water crust pastry

• 200g pork lard
• 170ml water
• 500g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

For the jelly

• 350ml good chicken or pork stock
• 5 leaves gelatine
• Equipment
• 1 x 18–20cm x 7–9cm pie dish or cake tin
• A small funnel

Mix the pork belly and bacon together. Pass half of the mixture through a mincer, or chop finely in a food processor if you don’t have one. Cut the remaining meat by hand into small 5mm–1cm dice to give the filling texture. Combine all the meat in a bowl, add the thyme, green peppercorns and breadcrumbs, then season well with the white pepper, black pepper, mace and salt. Cover and refrigerate.

Bring a medium pan of water to the boil. Lower in the eggs and cook for 7–8 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then peel and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

To make the pastry, gently heat the lard and water together until the fat has melted and the mixture is warm but not boiling. Put the flour and salt into a large bowl, pour in the warm liquid and add the beaten egg. Mix to form a dough, then turn out and knead briefly until smooth. Allow the pastry to cool in the fridge until firm enough to handle.

Set aside one quarter of the pastry for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry into a circle roughly 30cm across and use it to line the pie tin, pressing it firmly into the corners and leaving a slight overhang.

Fill the case one third full with the pork mixture. Arrange the boiled eggs in a circle, then carefully pack the remaining meat around and over them, ensuring there are no gaps.

Brush the rim with beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and place it over the pie. Crimp the edges neatly, trim any excess, and cut a small hole in the centre.

Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 160°C. Brush the top with beaten egg and bake for a further 1 hour, or until fully cooked. Remove and allow to cool.

Warm the stock gently. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the excess water and stir them into the warm stock until dissolved. When both the pie and stock are cool, turn the pie out of its tin. Using a funnel, carefully pour the stock into the hole until full. Refrigerate for at least 6–8 hours before serving.