Egg Pie

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
1/2 c unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/3 c sugar (superfine)
1 c flour
1 egg, beaten
1-2 tbsp. cold water

For the filling:
2 1/3 c milk
4 egg, separate white from yolks
1/2 c sugar (superfine)
1 1/2 tbsp. cornflour (cornstarch)

Procedures:

To make the pastry:
1. Combine flour & sugar in a bowl.
2. Cut in the butter with two butter knives or a pastry cutter. Then, rub in the butter with your fingers until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
3. Mix in lightly the egg & knead the dough until it just about comes together. If necessary sprinkle cold water if the dough seems dry.
4. Knead for a short while and form into a ball.
5. Wrap in plastic or cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 mins.
6. Roll out thinly on a floured table top to a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
Line a 23 cm (9 inch) pie pan or fluted flan tin making sure to press the pastry well into the sides.
7. Put the tin on a baking sheet & bake blind: line the pastry with foil & baking beans.
8. Bake in a preheated oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 15 mins.
9. Remove foil & baking beans then return to oven to bake for another 5 mins.
10. Trim the excess pastry from the edge of the flan tin with a knife.


To make the filling:
1. Turn the oven temperature down to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, & egg yolks.
3. Stir in the milk into the mixture.
4. Whip the egg white to soft peaks & fold into the milk/egg yolk mixture.
5. Place the pastry lined flan tin on a baking sheet.
6. Pour the filling in the tin & bake for 20 mins. until the top is brown.
7. Bring down oven temperature to 110C/250F & bake for a further 1 hr. until the custard is just set. The centre should wobble a little.
8. Remove from oven & cool completely.