Delicious and easy, can be made well in advance and frozen after stage 4 for up to a month.
Ingredients
450-500g pork fillets (we used 4 fillets to serve 8)
1 medium egg, plus extra egg for brushing
100g Cheddar, coarsely grated
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Pinch of cayenne pepper
8 slices prosciutto crudo, such as Parma ham
500g fresh shortcrust pastry
Flour, for dusting
Method
1. Make a cut lengthways along each fillet, about two-thirds of the way down into the meat. Season each fillet lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Beat the egg in a bowl and stir in the grated cheese, chopped parsley, thyme, cayenne pepper and some seasoning. Open up each pork fillet, spoon equal shares of the cheesy filling into each, then close up. Lay prosciutto slices, slightly overlapping, on a work surface and lay 1 pork fillet down the centre. Wrap the prosciutto around the fillet to encase the stuffing. Repeat with the other fillets. Set aside.
3. Cut the shortcrust pastry in rectangles and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of pastry to a size suitable to wrap each fillet.
4. Lift 1 fillet onto the centre of each piece of pastry and brush 1 long edge and both ends with a little beaten egg. Bring the sides together over the top of the fillet and crimp the edges together attractively to seal. Pinch the ends together well. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate each parcel, if you wish.
5. To cook, chill the other pork parcel in the fridge for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Place the parcels onto a baking tray, seam-side up, and brush with beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve in slices.