Recipes from Apple Blossom Pie by Kate McGhie

Apple Blossom Pie reveals the practical wisdom of country cooks, great food, traditions and kitchen creativity to be cherished for years to come. Here is a selection of recipes to try.

Ham hock and apple-thyme pies

Makes about 12 small pies

1 large smoked pork hock (about 1kg)
3 large granny smith apples
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped thyme
⅓ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp runny honey
4 sheets shortcrust pastry
1 small free-range egg, whisked

Put the hock in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil over medium–high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 190C (fan-forced 170C).

Peel the apple, coarsely grate and put into a bowl. Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the thyme, celery and onion and cook until softened. Tip the mixture into the bowl with the apples. Pull the meat away from the pork hock and shred as finely as you can - or chop. Put the meat into the bowl, add the honey and mix well. Stamp out circles of pastry to line tartlet moulds (about 6cm in diameter). Spoon the mixture into the pastry shells and cover with another circle of pastry, pressing the edges together with a fork. Poke small holes in the pastry lids to allow steam to escape and the pastry to cook through. Brush the tops with the egg and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before turning out.

Tip: If hocks are hard to come by, substitute with finely diced cooked ham. I have also used Italian-style pork and fennel sausages - remove the skins and pan-fry with the other ingredients.

Lemon curd souffle tartlets

Makes 12

Pastry

1¾ cups plain flour
½ salt flakes
2 tbsp castor sugar
100g cold butter, diced
1 large free-range egg yolk
2 tbsp iced water

Lemon curd

4 large free-range eggs
1 cup castor sugar
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
125g cold butter, diced
pinch of salt

Meringue

4 large free-range egg whites
pinch of salt
¼ cup castor sugar

Put the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse process until the mixture is a coarse, knobby meal. Add the yolk and water and process until the mixture forms a clump. Tip the dough out onto the bench and pat into a disc shape. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Roll the dough out and line 12 tartlet moulds about 6cm in diameter and prick the bottom with a fork. Put the pastry cases in the freezer for 5 minutes, and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden and almost cooked through. Cool.

To make the curd, whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Place the bowl over a large pan of gently simmering water. Whisk in the diced butter adding a few pieces at a time with the salt. Keep whisking for about 8 minutes or until the curd has become thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and whisk briskly to take as much heat from the mixture as quickly as you can. Set the curd aside to cool completely, stirring occasionally. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Press plastic wrap lightly on to the surface and refrigerate until required.

Increase the oven temperature to 200C. Whisk the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer and when they start to foam sprinkle in the sugar. Continue whisking until firm but not dry peaks form. Put a teaspoonful of curd in the bottom of each pastry shell. Gently fold half of the egg whites into the remaining lemon curd and then fold in the remaining whites. Spoon the mixture on top of the lemon curd in the pastry shells. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the filling is puffed, golden and set.

TIP: To get ahead, the curd and the pastry shells can be made in advance leaving just the meringue to be made at the last minute. Once they cool they start to sink a little.

Mum's almost famous potato cakes

Makes 12

3 cups packed, mashed potatoes
1 large free-range egg, whisked full-cream milk
3 tbsp flour (plain or self-raising)
2 tbsp finely snipped chives
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
pinch of ground nutmeg
extra flour
3 tbsp butter

Beat the potatoes with a wooden spoon until there are no lumpy bits. Add the egg with just enough milk to make a mixture with a consistency you can easily handle without it breaking up. Add the flour, chives, parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Shape the mixture into flat discs, no thicker than 2cm and lightly coat them with flour. Heat the butter in a sturdy frying pan and when it is foaming and straw coloured add the potato cakes. Cook until they are golden brown and then flip over and cook the other side. You may have to add a bit more butter to keep the pan sizzling.

TIP: You can use onion instead of chives, but chop very finely and squeeze it out in cold water before adding. This reduces the strong flavour and helps it to cook in the short time the potato cakes take to cook.

Apple Blossom Pie: Memories of an Australian Country Kitchen, by Kate McGhie. Murdoch Books. $49.99.