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Game Pie
Ingredients
1 kg/2 lb prepared mixed game, such as venison, hare, rabbit or pheasant
500 g/1 lb herby sausages, skinned
175 g/6 oz streaky bacon, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
150 ml/¼ pint chicken or game stock
150 ml/¼ pint dry white wine
2 teaspoons gelatine
Salt and pepper
MARINADE:
150 ml/¼ pint red wine
2 bay leaves
4 juniper berries, bruised
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, sliced
Few sprigs of thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
PASTRY:
375 g/12 oz plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
75 g/3 oz lard or white fat
150 ml/¼ pint milk and water mixed
Beaten egg, to glaze
Details
Serves: 10
Method
1 Cut the game into strips and place in a bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Drain the game and dry on kitchen paper. Break up the sausages with a fork and mix with the game. Add the bacon and parsley and season.
2 To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Melt the lard in the milk and water mixture in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then stir into the flour and mix to form a soft dough. Wrap closely and leave to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3 Roll out two-thirds of the dough on a lightly floured surface and line a 23 cm/ 9 in long game pie tin. Check the pastry is of even thickness and pinch together any cracks. The pastry should overlap the top of the tin.
4 Pack the filling into the tin, pressing into the corners. Roll out the remaining pastry, dampen the edges and cover the pie. Pinch the edges to seal and decorate. Make a hole in the centre of the pie and push a foil funnel into it.
5 Roll out the pastry trimmings and use to decorate the pie. Attach with the beaten egg, then glaze the whole pie. Bake in a preheated oven, 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, for 1 hour, then reduce the heat to 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4 and bake for 1½ hours. If the crust browns too fast, cover with foil. Cool, then carefully unmould the pie. Boil the stock and white wine for 5 minutes, then sprinkle on the gelatine and stir to dissolve. Cool until it starts to set, then pour into the pie through the funnel. Chill, then serve.
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus marinating and chilling
Cooking time: 2½ hours
Oven temperature: 200°C (400°F), Gas Mark 6, then 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4
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