Meatloaf en croute 978

Andy Katz

I have seen many versions of a 'meat loaf' in pastry but can not find a specific recipe for beef.

I have a number of recipes for pork pies in pastry or other dough that is baked, usually in a spring form pan to facilitate removal, i have a recipe for pork chops in puff pastry and an old English recipe for pork pie in short pastry, sausage and bacon pie.

I have a venison loaf recipe that might be interesting in pastry.

And you might want to look at the 'vol au vent' recipes, these puff pastry shells are often filled with all manner of combinations of meats, veggies and sauces.

Scallops and mushrooms in pastry is very nice and a salmon loaf in pastry is equally good.

I have an old recipe me mum used to make which entails scooping out the insides of a whole loaf bread nd making a tuna salad with cooked potatoes, peas, carrots, eggs, mayo & various seasonings and stuffed into the hollowed out loaf of bread, chilled and sliced and served, called a "stuffed picnic loaf".

In most of these recipes the pork is cooked before it is wrapped in pastry to render out as much fat as possible. then the piece is buttembled and baked.

Using a very lean beef and phyllo dough might be a way to go.

Let me know if you are interested in any of the pork pie recipes, which, i think could be adapted to beef. --- JL