Medieval Pigeon Pie

Name: Medieval Pigeon Pie
Ingredients: 10 pigeons, breasts; 1 onion; 1 celery rib; 1 leek; 1 carrot; 4 tablespoons olive oil; 4 ounces chicken livers; 7 ounces pancetta lardons; 7 ounces button mushrooms; 7 ounces shallots, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 1/2 cups game stock or 2 1/2 cups chicken stock; 10 black peppercorns; 1 sprig rosemary; 10 sage leaves; 1 pinch thyme; 1 lb shortcrust pastry

17 ingredients

7 steps

Ingredients

10 pigeons, breasts
1 onion
1 celery rib
1 leek
1 carrot
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces chicken livers
7 ounces pancetta lardons
7 ounces button mushrooms
7 ounces shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/2 cups game stock or 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
10 black peppercorns
1 sprig rosemary
10 sage leaves
1 pinch thyme
1 lb shortcrust pastry

Directions

1

Cut the pigeon breasts into small pieces. Finely dice the onion, celery, leek and carrot.
2

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the pigeon, chicken livers and pancetta in olive oil until lightly browned. Put into a pie dish.
3

Add a further tablespoon of the oil to the frying pan and fry the onion, celery, leek and carrot until golden, and then add this to the pie dish.
4

Fry the button mushrooms and shallots in the remaining oil and add to the pie dish.
5

Spoon tomato paste into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the stock. Add the peppercorns, rosemary, sage and thyme to the stock, and bring to the boil.
6

Set the oven to 375°F Pour the stock over the meat in the pie dish.
7

Roll the pastry out to cover the pie and bake for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.