Victorian raised game pie
A game pie always makes a spectacular centre piece and this handsome example is amazingly straightforward to make – especially if you buy mixed game meat ready-prepared from a good butcher. You can leave it plain or decorate it anyway you like below are a few ideas. It might be a bit daunting with all the ingredients, but if you plan it out, check that you have everything then just relax and enjoy making the pie.
Preparation time
less than 30 mins
Cooking time
1 to 2 hours
Serves 8
Equipment: you will need a 20cm/8in spring-form cake tin, about 7cm/2¾in deep. or you could get really carried away and buy a special raised pie mould from lakeland and a pie funnel is also useful.
or if you wanted a vintage one as below you can get buy it from kitchen cookshops or maybe checkout ebay where you might find one that's not so expensive.
Ingredients
For the filling
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
700g/1lb 9oz mixed, boned, diced game meat, such as venison, rabbit, pheasant, pigeon and boar (or buy your own selection and mix yourself)
200g/7oz minced pork belly
200g/7oz back bacon, rind removed, diced
2 tbsp Madeira wine
½ tsp ground mace
½ tsp ground allspice
2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp chopped thyme
salt and white pepper
For the hot water crust pastry
450g/1lb plain flour
100g/3½oz strong white bread flour
75g/2½oz cold, unsalted butter, cut into roughly 1cm/½in dice
½ tsp salt
100g/3½oz lard, plus extra for greasing
1 free-range egg yolk, beaten, to glaze
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease a 20cm/8in spring-form cake tin, about 7cm/2¾in deep, with lard.
First make the filling. In a large bowl, mix the shallots and garlic. Add the game, pork belly mince, diced bacon, Madeira, spices and herbs. Season with salt and a little white pepper.
Using your hands, mix all the ingredients thoroughly together. Put in the fridge while you prepare the pastry.
For the hot water crust pastry, combine the flours in a bowl, add the butter and rub in lightly with your fingertips.
Heat 200ml/7fl oz of water, the salt and lard in a saucepan until just boiling. Pour the mixture onto the flour and mix together with a spoon. Once cool enough to handle, tip onto a floured surface and knead into a smooth dough.
Work as quickly as you can now (as the pastry will become more crumbly as it cools). Cut off two-thirds of the pastry, roll it out and use to line the prepared tin, leaving any excess hanging over the side. Check there are no cracks or holes in the pastry. Roll out the remaining pastry for the lid and leave to one side.
Spoon the filling into the pastry-lined tin. Press it down and level the surface.
Brush the pastry edge with beaten egg yolk and place the pastry lid on top. Crimp the edges to seal and trim off the excess pastry neatly. Brush the top with more egg yolk. Make a hole in the middle of the lid for steam.
Stand the tin on a baking tray and bake the pie for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3 and bake for a further 1¾ hours.
Leave the pie to cool completely in the tin before removing. Slice on a plate to catch any juices. Serve at room temperature.