Burns Night Haggis & Mutton Pie - A Hot Water Crust Classic, Reworked
The second in our Burns Night duo with chef Josh Whitehead of Finer Pleasures, this pie celebrates another great Scottish invention: the Scotch pie. Possibly one of the more underrated or lesser-known classics of the UK, the Scotch pie is typically a football ground favourite - humble in stature but packed with deep flavour and serious charm.

In this version, Swaledale’s aged mutton is combined with rich lamb haggis and minced pork shoulder, then layered with slow-cooked onions, toasted oats, lamb stock and warming spices. Encased in hot water crust pastry, it’s a bold, deeply savoury tribute to a Scottish staple.

Also available: our Burns Night Haggis Sausage Roll - the other half of this limited-edition collaboration.

Josh Whitehead, Finer Pleasures
Possibly one of the more underrated or unknown classics of the United Kingdom. Sat amongst a lengthy list of things we have Scotland to thank for is the Scotch pie. Typically a football ground favourite, this is one of the more humble pies that has the girders as one of the most delicious things to eat.

Proving that hot water pastry shouldn’t be reserved only for a pork pie, this Scottish pocket rocket is traditionally filled with little more than minced mutton, onions and gravy.

Nowadays it’s more common to be filled with beef, but here we’ve leant more on tradition, with a filling consisting of Swaledale’s beautifully aged mutton, a rich lamb haggis, and some minced pork shoulder for succulence. An Arthur’s Seat–sized pile of white onions is cooked down very slowly with lamb fat. A blend of white and black pepper, nutmeg, mace, ginger and ground bay are added, along with a rich lamb stock and toasted oats that, once cooked, bring the gravy and meat together in a romantic and comforting unity. Which says a lot about the sadness a Scottish referendum would make me feel - but as long as Scotch pies exist, I’ll survive.

Best cooked at 200°C fan for 35–45 minutes or until the pastry is nicely golden brown and crisp. Allow to rest for ten minutes before eating or you risk it burning you like an IV drip of Macallan 12.

For a quick, Cumberland sauce–inspired gravy, reduce half a bottle of Buckfast down to a syrup, add some good-quality chicken stock and then thicken slightly with gravy granules. Finish with a splash of Buckfast, a liberal dollop of wholegrain mustard and as many twists of black pepper as it takes for you to feel a slight strain in your forearm. And salt, of course.