Bring home the bacon.

23 Apr

I love trying out-of-the-ordinary recipes. I found this recipe in Cooking the Australian Way (1990) by Mary Winger, another cookbook from the ethnic cookbook series by Lerner Publications I have in my collection. The author shares that Australians love going on picnics, and this dish is a popular option. Puff pastry plus bacon plus eggs – why wouldn’t it taste amazing? I served this as a main dish alongside a salad for dinner one night. And my husband gladly finished the leftovers – served cold for lunch. This would be ideal for a brunch! And I love the idea of making it the centerpiece of a picnic!

Egg and Bacon Pie

1 17¼ ounce package puff pastry sheets, thawed

8 thin slices Canadian bacon or 5 thin slices ham

8 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup finely chopped parsley or chives

Heat oven to 400 degrees. With a rolling pin, roll out one sheet of pastry on a lightly floured board until the pastry is ⅛-inch thick. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pastry and press gently into place. Cover the bottom of the pastry with the slices of bacon, overlapping them to form an even layer. Crack the eggs right onto the bacon-lined crust, then break the yolks with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives.

Roll out the second sheet of pastry, again making it ⅛-inch thick. With your fingers or a little pastry brush, brush the edge of the lower pastry shell with a little water. Gently place the second sheet of pastry on top of the pie, press the edges firmly together, and cut off excess pastry. Flute the edges by pinching the pastry gently between your thumb and forefinger. Cut a few small slits in the middle of the top crust.

Carefully place the filled pie plate on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven about 30 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden brown on top. Remove the pie from the oven carefully and allow to cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving. To take the pie on a picnic, wrap the pie plate in a kitchen towel, then in layers of newspaper to keep it warm.