This dish is perfect to enjoy in the early cold months of the winter, and a wonderful main for a dinner party.
Braised pork and sweet roaster squash paired with rich, buttery crust pairs well with a bottle of Wyncroft ‘Avonlea’ Chardonnay to cut through the richness and cool the onset of meat sweats.
For the filling:
2 pounds boneless pork butt
2 red onions
1 head of garlic
1 medium roaster squash (pumpkin, kuri, acorn, butternut, etc.)
600 grams water or stock 150 grams flour
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Warm a Dutch oven with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil or lard to medium heat. Peel and clean the garlic and leave all the cloves whole. Peel and large dice the red onions. Gently salt the pork butt. Setbit in the pot and Sear all side to dark brown. Once it’s seared, set it aside and sauté the garlic and onions for 2 minutes. Declare with the stock and return the pork butt to the pot with the 2 bay leaves and cover the pot. Once the pot is boiling, place in the oven at 350° F for 2 hours.
Meanwhile, Peel the squash. Cut into large chunks, about 2 inches wide.
When the pork is finished, remove it from the pot and set aside. Add the flour into the braising liquid, being sure to whisk and avoid clumping. Once it starts to thicken, add the squash. Chop the pork into similar sized chunks as the squash and return to the pot. Pour the braise into a casserole dish or deep pie pan. Turn the oven to 400°F.
For the crust:
750 grams flour 200 grams lard 200 grams butter
25 grams sugar
20 grams salt
2 grams baking soda 100 grams water
Sift all the dry ingredients (baking soda, sugar, salt, flour). Make sure the fat is diced up and cold. Cut it into the dry mixture. You are looking for flaky bits of fat. Slowly mix in the water. Knead the dough but do not totally mix. It should hold together but not be smooth. Roll into a ball and let it rest for a least a half hour before rolling out. You can also make this a day ahead to cut down on prep time.
Flour a countertop to use as your rolling surface. Roll the dough until it is about 2 centimeters thick and place on top of the filling. It does not need to be perfectly square and is fine to drape over the edge of the dish for extra crispy crusty bits. Use egg wash to completely cover the dough with a thin layer and sprinkle it with flaky salt. Place in the center rack of your oven and bake until the crust is deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Enjoy.
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