The Farmhouse

Godmersham Game Pie

The recipe below is taken from Comfy Rob's cookery demo @ the Canterbury Eurofair 2009.

First you need to make the pastry.

- 500g plain flour - sifted
- 250g cold unsalted butter - diced
- about 250ml cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

In a bowl, work the dry ingredients together with your fingers, like you would a crumble top.  When the ingredients form together, make a well in your mixture and pour in the water a third at a time, working together, until you get a strong but elastic dough.  You might not need all the water, but the dough should feel slightly wet.  Wrap your dough in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least half hour.

Now for your pie mix.

- 1kg mixed diced game from Godmersham Game (we had rabbit, pheasant, partridge, venison)
- 250g smoked streaky bacon - diced
- 1 onion - chopped
- 2 carrots - diced
- 2 sticks of celery - chopped
- 1 leek - chopped
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 1 spice bag (4 cloves, 4 juniper berries, 8 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme - tied in muslin)
- 1/2 bottle full-bodied red wine
- 500ml good stock

In a heavy-based stockpot or saucepan set over a medium-heat, brown off your meat (in batches if necessary) in a little oil, and set-aside.  Once done, deglaze the bottom of your pan by adding all the vegetables and a splash of stock.  Once these have sweated and softened (about 10 minutes) add the wine, the stock, and your spice bag and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and leave for a good 1.5 / 2 hours.

And to finish

Take your pastry out of the fridge and roll-out on a floured work-top.  Using your pie dish as a guide, cut around the pastry (keep the remaining pastry as it will be used to make a lid!) and line your pie dish, trimming any overhanging pastry, and fill with baking beans.  In a pre-heated oven (180C) blind bake your pie case for around 20 minutes, til it looks a little golden. Remove the beans, add the pre-cooked pie mix, cut a top for your pie, and paste onto the top of the pie with egg-wash.  Return to the oven for around 10 minutes until the pie looks lovely and golden, and serve with a nice heap of mash, maybe a few greens, and the rest of that bottle of wine.