Pastry

1. To make the pastry, put the flour and diced butter into a processor and whiz until it resembles coarse crumbs. Pulse the machine while you add the water through the feed tube.
2. Stop the machine before the mixture starts to clump. Tip out into a large bowl and press firmly together.
3. Divide the pastry into 2 balls, wrap in plastic wrap and rest in a cool place for 20 minutes. The pastry may be made up to a day ahead.

Filling

1. To make the filling, put the minced meat in a large bowl. Cut the ham, including the fat, into small dice.
2. Put the ham into a separate bowl with the breadcrumbs, melted butter and most of the egg. Save a little to glaze the pastry later.
3. Add the salt, soy sauce, fish sauce or anchovy paste, pepper, lemon zest and juice. Sprinkle with a little water if dry.
4. Strip the leaves from the thyme and parsley, chop and add. Use a fork to mix all these ingredients thoroughly together.
5. Then add to the bowl of minced meat. Use your hand or a wooden spoon to combine everything lightly yet thoroughly.

To assemble

1. When ready to bake the pie, preheat the oven to 200C. Roll out one ball of pastry and line a standard 23cm Pyrex pie dish.
2. Roll the pastry large enough for it to hang over the edge of the dish. Roll out the other ball of pastry ready to form the lid.
3. Pile the filling into the pastry-lined pie dish and smooth it into a slight mound in the centre.
4. Add a tablespoon of milk to the reserved egg and whisk to make egg wash. Brush the edge of the pastry with egg wash and lay the pastry lid on top.
5. Press the edges together, trim and crimp. Use pastry scraps to make fancy cut-outs to decorate the pie.
6. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash, arrange the cut-outs on top and brush with egg wash, too.
7. Using a carving knife, make a few deep pricks in the pastry lid. Bake for 30 minutes at 200C until the pastry is golden brown, then lower the heat to 150C and bake for another 45 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, cool for a few minutes, then ease the edges of the pastry with a spatula and slide the pie onto a rack to finish cooling. As soon as the pie is cold, cover and refrigerate.