Chestnut & bacon cake

• sunflower oil↗3 tbsp tbsp
• onions↗3

  finely chopped

• smoked, dry-cured streaky bacon8

  rashers, chopped

• vacuum-packed chestnut200g g

  most roughly chopped, plus 100g more for the top, halved, if you like

• pack good-quality pork sausage↗450g g

  meat squeezed out

• breadcrumb↗140g g
• thyme↗2

  sprigs, leave picked

• egg↗1

  beaten

• butter↗1 tsp tsp

  melted

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then fry the onions and two-thirds of the bacon, covered, for 10 mins until the onions are very soft. Once cool enough to handle, mix with the chopped chestnuts, sausagemeat, breadcrumbs, thyme leaves and egg, and season really well. Take out 250g for stuffing the turkey.

2. 2

   Butter a 23cm round tin, scoop in the remaining stuffing, press down a little, then top with the remaining bacon. Put onto a baking sheet, cover with foil and bake for 15 mins.

3. 3

   Uncover, grind over some fresh black pepper, then cook for 35 mins more until the bacon is turning golden. With 5 mins to go, top with the chestnut halves, if you like, brushing them with a little butter. Cut into wedges to serve.