Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 25 mins Makes 10 pies

You'll need:
Butter for greasing
6 rashers bacon, rind removed, thinly sliced
3 cups plain flour
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tbsp poppy seeds
125g butter
2/3 cup water
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
10 x 55-59g eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea suit flakes

Here's how:
1 Preheat oven to moderately hot (200C). Brush 10 standard muffin tins with melted butter. Cook the prepared bacon in a small pan on a low heat until bacon is brown and crispy.
2 Sift flour and mustard into a mixing bowl, add poppy seeds and stir to combine. Put butter and water in a small pan and stir over a low heat until butter has melted. Do not allow mixture to boil.
3 Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in butter mixture and stir until mixture is well combined. Use your hand to bring the mixture together to form a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured board and knead gently until the pastry is smooth.
4 Roll pastry into a sausage shape, remove one-third of the pastry, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside. Cut remaining two-thirds into 10 pieces. Roll into balls. Roll each ball out to a 10cm round. Place each round in a muffin tin. Pastry should come about 1 cm above the top of the tin.
5 Using half the bacon, put a small amount in the base of each pastry and top with a little of the chopped chives. Break an egg into each pastry cup and top with remaining bacon and chives. Grind over some black pepper. Cut reserved pastry into 10 even pieces and form each into a ball. Roll balls out to fit the top of the pies. Cut a cross in the top of each round and place on top of the pies, gently pressing the edges together to seal. Brush with water and sprinkle with sea salt.
6 Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and stand pies in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove from tin and stand on a wire rack to cool, or serve hot.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens October 2002