Faggots (Welsh Pork Faggots)

Ingredients

• 10 oz (280g) pork liver, trimmed of any tough membrane
• 10 oz (280g) fatty pork belly, cubed
• 4 oz (115g) pig's heart, cubed (or extra pork belly)
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 cups (100g) fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 tsp ground mace or nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• caul fat, soaked, enough to wrap 8 faggots (optional)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced, for the gravy
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 cups (475ml) beef or pork stock
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• mashed potatoes, to serve
• mushy or garden peas, to serve

Before you cook

• Trim the liver of any sinew or tough membrane
• Cube the pork belly and pig's heart
• Roughly chop the onion for the meat mixture
• Soak the caul fat in a bowl of tepid water for about an hour, if using, until pliable
• Make fresh breadcrumbs from slightly stale white bread if you don't have them ready
• Chop the sage and thyme

Steps

1. Working in batches, run the liver, pork belly, heart, and roughly chopped onion through a mincer or pulse in a food processor until finely and evenly ground
2. Turn the ground mixture into a large bowl
3. Add the breadcrumbs, sage, thyme, mace, salt, and pepper to the bowl
4. Mix in the beaten egg and combine everything thoroughly with your hands until it holds together
5. Cover the bowl and rest the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes so it firms up and is easier to shape
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
7. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions and roll each into a tight ball
8. If using caul fat, cut it into 8 pieces and wrap one around each ball, tucking the edges underneath
9. Pack the faggots snugly side by side, seam-side down, in a baking dish so they support each other and hold their shape
10. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, until deeply browned on top and cooked through
11. Melt the butter for the gravy in a saucepan over medium heat
12. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deeply golden, about 15 minutes
13. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste
14. Gradually whisk in the stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, then stir in the Worcestershire sauce
15. Simmer the gravy for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon
16. Pour the finished gravy over the baked faggots
17. Return the dish to the oven for a final 10 minutes so the flavors meld
18. Serve two faggots per person over mashed potatoes with gravy spooned over the top and mushy peas alongside