Game Pie

It’s British Pie Week! Game pie is a dish entwined in British history and you can choose from a variety of fillings for example venison, pheasant, rabbit, partridge or even pigeon, the list goes on.  You can either top with pastry or a creamy mash potato.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
500g Diced Game Meat (Partridge, Pheasant, Venison)
1 X 375g Packed of Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
1 Beaten Egg (For Glazing)
2 Medium Carrots, Diced
300g Sweet Potatoes or Butternut Squash, Diced
1 Large Red Onion, Medium Diced
1 Tbsp Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp Plain Flour
100ml Red Wine
400ml Stock, Chicken
1 Tbsp Red Current Jelly
1 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
3 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
4 Crushed Juniper Berries

Method

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan add the game meat and cook over a high heat until browned all over.
Lift out and drain on kitchen towel and set aside.
Lower the heat, add the carrots, onion, sweet potato or butternut squash and cook stirring for 3 minutes until softened.
Add the thyme, juniper berries and stir for 1 minute.  Add the tomato puree, flour and cook for 1 minute.
Now add in the game meat, red current jelly, red wine and stock, stir and bring to a simmer for a few minutes.
Pour into an ovenproof casserole dish, cover and bake in the oven for 1 ½ at 140c fan assisted.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Lightly a flour a work surface and roll out the puff pastry to fit the pie dish you are using.  Pour the game mixture into the pie dish place the pastry lid on top of the pie dish, make a hole in the middle of the pastry to let the steam escape and crimp the edges with a fork, brush the pastry with the beaten egg and decorate with any left over pieces of pastry.

Bake the pie in a pre heated oven at 200c, 180 fan, Gas 6 for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden brown.