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Serves 6.
Takes 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 3 hours for stock to simmer
Pigeon stock
2 tbsp of olive oil
10 wood pigeons, breasts removed and reserved for pie filling
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 leek, washed and chopped
5 juniper berries
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of parsley
2l water, to cover
Pastry
340g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
170g of unsalted butter, frozen 30 minutes before use
100ml of water, chilled
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 medium egg, beaten
Filling
60g of butter
200g of smoked bacon lardons, or pancetta
15g of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drained and finely chopped
150g of button mushrooms
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked off
20 wood pigeon breasts, reserved from carcasses, each cut into 2 pieces
50ml of Madeira
2 tbsp of flour
sea salt
black pepper
Method
1
First make the pigeon stock. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 8
2
Chop the pigeon carcasses into 3 pieces and place in a baking tray. Add the carrot, shallots and leek and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine and roast for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the bones and vegetables are golden brown
3
Tip the bones and vegetables into a large saucepan. Deglaze the roasting tin with a splash of water and add to the saucepan. Add the juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and parsley and cover with 2 litres of water
4
Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once the stock boils, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3 hours. Strain the stock through a sieve and reserve to one side, or refrigerate if making in advance
5
Next make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Grate the butter into the flour using the larges holes of the grater. Gently mix with the flat of a knife until the butter is coated in the flour. The butter should remain in grated pieces, not rubbed into the dough
6
Add the chilled water and bring the pastry together with the knife, adding a little more water if necessary. Gently press the dough into a ball and then flatten slightly to form a disc. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
7
Meanwhile, make the pie filling. Add half of the butter to a large frying pan over a high heat. When the pan is very hot, quickly sear the pigeon breast pieces on each side – this should only take 1–2 minutes, the aim is not to cook the pigeon breast but get a nice colour on it. Tip onto a plate and leave to one side
8
Lower the heat to medium and add some more butter to the pan, along with the bacon. Fry for 5 minutes or until golden, then add the button and soaked porcini mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Lower the heat and add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook gently for 5–8 minutes or until soft
9
Turn up the heat and add the Madeira, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute and then stir in the stock. Simmer gently, stirring until everything is combined and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the pigeon pieces. Add everything to a large pie dish and allow to cool
10
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas mark 6
11
Place the pie funnel in the centre of the dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin – it needs to be 5cm larger than your dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg and, using the extra pastry from the edge, cut a few 2cm wide strips and lay them on the rim, pressing down slightly. With a small knife, cut a small slit in the top for the pie funnel to allow the air to escape. Brush with more beaten egg and use any extra pastry to decorate the top of the pie. Press down the edges of the pie to seal, trim off the excess and crimp the edges
12
Glaze the pie with the rest of the beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately with seasonal leafy greens. Try to avoid reheating the pie as this will overcook the pigeon
Takes 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 3 hours for stock to simmer
Pigeon stock
2 tbsp of olive oil
10 wood pigeons, breasts removed and reserved for pie filling
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
3 large shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 leek, washed and chopped
5 juniper berries
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of parsley
2l water, to cover
Pastry
340g of plain flour, plus extra for dusting
170g of unsalted butter, frozen 30 minutes before use
100ml of water, chilled
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 medium egg, beaten
Filling
60g of butter
200g of smoked bacon lardons, or pancetta
15g of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, then drained and finely chopped
150g of button mushrooms
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
4 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked off
20 wood pigeon breasts, reserved from carcasses, each cut into 2 pieces
50ml of Madeira
2 tbsp of flour
sea salt
black pepper
Method
1
First make the pigeon stock. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 8
2
Chop the pigeon carcasses into 3 pieces and place in a baking tray. Add the carrot, shallots and leek and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to combine and roast for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally until the bones and vegetables are golden brown
3
Tip the bones and vegetables into a large saucepan. Deglaze the roasting tin with a splash of water and add to the saucepan. Add the juniper berries, peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme and parsley and cover with 2 litres of water
4
Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once the stock boils, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 3 hours. Strain the stock through a sieve and reserve to one side, or refrigerate if making in advance
5
Next make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Grate the butter into the flour using the larges holes of the grater. Gently mix with the flat of a knife until the butter is coated in the flour. The butter should remain in grated pieces, not rubbed into the dough
6
Add the chilled water and bring the pastry together with the knife, adding a little more water if necessary. Gently press the dough into a ball and then flatten slightly to form a disc. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
7
Meanwhile, make the pie filling. Add half of the butter to a large frying pan over a high heat. When the pan is very hot, quickly sear the pigeon breast pieces on each side – this should only take 1–2 minutes, the aim is not to cook the pigeon breast but get a nice colour on it. Tip onto a plate and leave to one side
8
Lower the heat to medium and add some more butter to the pan, along with the bacon. Fry for 5 minutes or until golden, then add the button and soaked porcini mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Lower the heat and add the shallots, garlic and thyme. Cook gently for 5–8 minutes or until soft
9
Turn up the heat and add the Madeira, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute and then stir in the stock. Simmer gently, stirring until everything is combined and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the pigeon pieces. Add everything to a large pie dish and allow to cool
10
Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas mark 6
11
Place the pie funnel in the centre of the dish. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin – it needs to be 5cm larger than your dish. Brush the rim of the dish with beaten egg and, using the extra pastry from the edge, cut a few 2cm wide strips and lay them on the rim, pressing down slightly. With a small knife, cut a small slit in the top for the pie funnel to allow the air to escape. Brush with more beaten egg and use any extra pastry to decorate the top of the pie. Press down the edges of the pie to seal, trim off the excess and crimp the edges
12
Glaze the pie with the rest of the beaten egg and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately with seasonal leafy greens. Try to avoid reheating the pie as this will overcook the pigeon
