Pigeon Pie Recipe
Ingredients
| 350 g/12 oz flour | ||
| Salt | 1 Teaspoon | |
| 150 ml/5 fl oz water | ||
| 125 g/4 oz vegetable fat | ||
| 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten | ||
| 1 egg, lightly beaten | ||
| 8 pigeon breasts, boned and sliced | ||
| 125 g/4 oz cooked ham, finely chopped | ||
| 275 g/10 oz pork sausagemeat | ||
| 175 g/6 oz button mushrooms, quartered | ||
| Egg | 1 , finely chopped (Filling) | |
| Black pepper salt | 1 To taste (Filling) | |
| 1 tsp grated lemon rind | ||
| Cayenne pepper | 1 Pinch (Filling) | |
| 125 ml/4 fl oz beef stock | ||
| Dry red wine | 4 Tablespoon (Filling) | |
Directions
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
Bring the water and vegetable fat to the boil in a saucepan.
When the fat heat melted, remove from the heat.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg yolk and fat and water mixture.
Gradually draw the flour into the liquid, mixing to a smooth dough.
Knead the dough until it is shiny.
Cut off one-third of the dough and set aside in a warm place.
Roll out the remaining dough to a circle about 25 cm/10 in diameter.
Turn a deep 15 cm/6 in pie mould or cake tin upside-down and grease the outside.
Cover the outside of the mould of tin with the dough circle.
Place a sheet of greaseproof paper over the mould or tin and turn it right side up.
Wrap the paper around the dough-covered tin and tie with string.
Chill for 20 minutes.
Mix together the pigeon meat, hard, sausagemeat, mushrooms, egg, salt and pepper to taste, the lemon rind and cayenne.
Gently ease the mould or tin out of the dough case.
Place the dough case on a greased baking sheet.
Fill with the pigeon mixture.
Roll out the remaining piece of dough to a circle just larger than the top of the dough case.
Place this lid on top and press the edges together to seal.
Brush the pie all over with the beaten egg.
Make a 5 cm/2 in slit in the centre of the dough lid.
Bake in a fairly hot oven (200°C/400°F or Gas Mark 6) for 1 hour.
Reduce the temperature to moderate (180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4).
Remove the paper.
Bring the stock and wine to the boil in a saucepan.
Pour through the slit in the dough lid.
Bake for a further 1 hour or untill the meat is tender and the pastry well browned.
Serve hot or cold.
Bring the water and vegetable fat to the boil in a saucepan.
When the fat heat melted, remove from the heat.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and add the egg yolk and fat and water mixture.
Gradually draw the flour into the liquid, mixing to a smooth dough.
Knead the dough until it is shiny.
Cut off one-third of the dough and set aside in a warm place.
Roll out the remaining dough to a circle about 25 cm/10 in diameter.
Turn a deep 15 cm/6 in pie mould or cake tin upside-down and grease the outside.
Cover the outside of the mould of tin with the dough circle.
Place a sheet of greaseproof paper over the mould or tin and turn it right side up.
Wrap the paper around the dough-covered tin and tie with string.
Chill for 20 minutes.
Mix together the pigeon meat, hard, sausagemeat, mushrooms, egg, salt and pepper to taste, the lemon rind and cayenne.
Gently ease the mould or tin out of the dough case.
Place the dough case on a greased baking sheet.
Fill with the pigeon mixture.
Roll out the remaining piece of dough to a circle just larger than the top of the dough case.
Place this lid on top and press the edges together to seal.
Brush the pie all over with the beaten egg.
Make a 5 cm/2 in slit in the centre of the dough lid.
Bake in a fairly hot oven (200°C/400°F or Gas Mark 6) for 1 hour.
Reduce the temperature to moderate (180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4).
Remove the paper.
Bring the stock and wine to the boil in a saucepan.
Pour through the slit in the dough lid.
Bake for a further 1 hour or untill the meat is tender and the pastry well browned.
Serve hot or cold.
Chef
