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Note: If preferred, pork can be substituted for the lamb in Traditional Mincemeat Pie.

Ingredients:

*1/2 lb lamb, mixed lean and  fat meat
*1/2 lb currants, soaked and drained
*1/2 lb dark raisins, soaked and drained
*1/2 lb sultanas/golden raisins, soaked and drained
*6 oz / about 1 c soft brown sugar, lightly packed
*2 oz/ about 1/2 c chopped mixed peel
*juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
*1/4 tsp salt
*1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
*1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
*pinch of ground cardamom
*freshly-ground black pepper (to taste)
*4 oz/ 1/2 c dark rum or brandy
*1 recipe chilled puff pastry (frozen and thawed will work)
*1 egg, beaten

Preparation:

Trim the fat and membranes from the meat and dice finely. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the fruits, sugar, lemon juice/zest and the spices. Moisten with the rum or brandy.

Oven at 350 F for the filling.

Layer half the fruit mixture with half the meat in a pie plate, 8–9 inch diameter. Repeat the layering, ending with the meat. Cover securely with parchment paper and foil. Bake for about 1 hour or until the meat is cooked. Let the filling cool in the pie plate to room temperature. This can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two.

Roll out the cold puff pastry to about 1/4 inch and let it rest in the fridge for 10 minutes. Rut a strip of pastry the width of the rim of the pie plate; wipe the rim clean if necessary. Brush some beaten egg on the rim and place the pastry strip all around it. Press the edges together. Brush this pastry rim with more beaten egg and fit the remaining pastry on top. Press it down lightly and flute as desired. Paint the top of the pastry, but not the rim, with the remaining beaten egg. Make a few tiny slits in the top.

Bake at 400 F for about 30 minutes until the crust is nicely browned. Cover the top of the pie loosely with foil if it starts to get too brown.

Serve Traditional Mincemeat Pie to end a holiday meal, such as Turkey and Trimmings.