Serves: 6 Preparation: 30 minutes Time to cook: 1 1/2 hours
1 kg diced venison
1 Tbsp paprika
3 Tbsp plain flour
Salt and cracked pepper
3 tsp vegetable oil
2 diced carrots
1 diced leek
2 sticks of diced celery
2 Tbsp tomato paste or ½ cup tomato puree
50g button mushrooms
2 large diced onions or 16 pearl onions
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1½ cups good Pinot Noir
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 cup demi-glace or meat stock
4 thick rashers of bacon cut into lardons
300g ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk and a dash of milk or beaten cream to make egg wash
- Coat the meat with the paprika, flour, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil and brown the meat all over.
- Add the vegetables and continue to brown.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the mixture.
- Simmer for 1 hour on low heat either in the oven or on the stove.
Remove the dish and leave to cool.
- While the venison is cooling, dust a clean work surface with flour and roll the piecrust. Cut the pastry 1 centimeter bigger than the pie dish.
- Place cooked ingredients into a pie dish and egg wash up the sides.
- Cover the top of the pie with pastry and trim the edges.
- Cut a 1 centimeter wide ribbon and seal around the edges, pressing with a fork to form a decorative pattern.
- Cover and leave to sit for 10 minutes so the pastry can relax.
- Glaze the pie with remaining egg wash and bake on high heat (220°C) full fan for about 15 minutes, or until pastry is nut brown and thoroughly cooked.
- Turn oven down to 180°C and cook for a further 5 – 8 minutes.
To serve
Serve a slice of pie with baked seasonal vegetables.