Vietnamese-Style Pork & Prawn Puff Pastry Slab Pie

Flaky all-butter puff pastry stuffed with a fragrant, punchy pork-and-prawn filling kissed with lime, fish sauce, herbs and chilli—baked until deeply golden and sliced into crowd-feeding squares.

Ingredients

• 500g pork mince
• 200g prawn meat, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated (or minced)
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1 bunch spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped (stems and leaves)
• 2–3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2–4 bird’s-eye chillies, finely sliced (adjust to taste)
• 100g breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs (for the filling)
• 2 egg yolks (for egg wash)
• 1 tbsp water (to loosen egg wash)
• 1–1 1/4 tsp black pepper, plus extra for the top
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional—see tips)
• 2 sheets Carême All Butter Puff Pastry, thawed per packet directions
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (pantry staple, for greasing tray if needed)

Method

• 1

  Step 1: Prep oven & tray

  Preheat oven to **200°C (180°C fan)**. Line a large baking tray with baking paper (or lightly oil it). Keep puff pastry cold in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble (cold pastry = best puff).

• 2

  Step 2: Make the filling

  In a large bowl, combine **pork mince**, **chopped prawns**, **ginger**, **garlic**, **lime zest**, **spring onion**, **coriander**, **fish sauce**, **chillies**, **breadcrumbs**, **2 eggs**, **black pepper**, and **salt (if using)**.

• 3

  Step 3: Base pastry

  Place **1 sheet** of puff pastry onto the lined tray. If it has baking paper attached, you can use that underneath. Lightly press it flat.

• 4

  Step 4: Spread the filling

  Dollop filling across the pastry, then spread into an even layer right to the edges.

• 5

  Step 5: Top pastry & seal

  Lay the **second pastry sheet** on top. Gently press down all over so it adheres. Pinch or press the edges to seal (a light press with a fork also works).

• 6

  Step 6: Egg wash

  Whisk **2 egg yolks** with **1 tbsp water**. Brush generously all over the top and edges for maximum gloss and colour. Finish with a generous sprinkle of **cracked black pepper**.

• 7

  Step 7: Bake

  Bake for **30–40 minutes**, until the top is **deeply golden, crisp, and puffed**. (If your oven runs hot and it’s browning too fast at 25–30 minutes, tent loosely with foil and keep baking.)

• 8

  Step 8: Rest, then slice

  Rest on the tray for **10 minutes** (this helps the filling set so it slices cleanly). Slice into squares or rectangles and serve warm.

Tips

• **Salt level:** Fish sauce brings plenty of salt. Mix the filling first, then only add the **1/2 tsp salt** if you’re confident it needs it.
• **Extra crisp base:** If you like, bake on a **preheated tray** (put the empty tray in the oven while it heats) for better bottom crispness.
• **Neater slices:** Chill leftovers (or even the whole slab for 30–60 minutes after baking), then reheat slices—cold firms the filling and makes razor-clean cuts.
• **Spice control:** Remove chilli seeds for gentler heat, or add more bird’s-eye for a real kick.
• **Serving ideas:** Great with a simple herb pile (extra coriander/spring onion) and lime wedges for squeezing over—brightens every bite.
• **Storage & reheating:** Refrigerate up to **3 days**. Reheat in a **200°C oven for 10–15 minutes** until hot and crisp again (microwave softens the pastry).

Nutrition (per serving, estimate)