Surrounded by fields in rural Staplehurst and situated alongside Staplehurst Nurseries, Frankie’s Farmshop is packed with locally sourced produce. The Café offers daily specials, freshly prepared using seasonal ingredients in Frankie’s Open Kitchen, where you can watch the chefs at work.

For the pastry:

1. Crumb the flour, salt and butter together.
2. Finely grate the beef dripping into the mix.
3. Add the eggs and mix, then the water, combining slowly until the dough is sticky on the palm.
4. Roll the dough into a rectangular block and chill for 30 minutes.

For the filling:

1. Roughly chop 1 white onion, the celery and carrots and place in a large saucepan. Add the ham hock and cover with water. Boil for 4-6 hours (until very soft).
2. Remove the hock. Sieve the liquid and keep to one side.
3. Chunky flake the ham hock and mix with the sausage meat.
4. Finely chop the remaining onion and sweat it in a pan with the chopped garlic and thyme.
5. Combine with the meat mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped bacon and nutmeg then refrigerate.
6. Cut the pastry in half, then separately roll both halves out until they are 1 inch larger than the spring tin.
7. Line the bottom of the tin with the pastry, making sure it hangs over the edge one inch all the way around.
8. Add the meat filling and squash down gently, make sure it is 1 cm lower than the top of the tin, as the meat will expand as it cooks.
9. Egg wash the meat and any pastry showing on the inside thoroughly. Put on the lid, pinch together the overhanging pastry and trim off any excess, then egg wash thoroughly.
10. Make a 1 cm square hole in the top of the pie.
11. Cook for 30 minutes at 180°C. Then cook for a further 1 hour 25 minutes at 160°C.
12. Meanwhile soak the 7 leaves of gelatine for 5 minutes in cold water then add to 750ml of the ham hock stock.Warm the mixture.
13. When the pie is cooked allow it to cool for 15 minutes then pour the stock in through the square hole until it reaches the top of the pie.
14. Allow to set for 4 hours or overnight if possible in the fridge.

For the piccalilli:

1. Combine both vinegars with the sugar and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. When simmering add the salt, turmeric, ginger and mustard powder and whisk thoroughly.
2. Mix the cornflour into a paste with tap water and slowly add this to the vinegar, whisking constantly.
3. Cook the mix for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
4. Meanwhile, blanch the cauliflower and beans in salted boiling water then refresh in iced water. Drain and allow to thoroughly dry on a tea towel.
5. Combine the vinegar mixture with all the vegetables.
6. Bottle into sterilised jars and store in the fridge.