This is a great Deja Food way to transform the cooked venison from a joint into another meal. Since the filling has already been cooked, there is little shrinkage during baking, thus making it a fabulously sturdy picnic pie once cold.
Whichever way you choose to enjoy it, remember to serve with redcurrant jelly.
Venison Pie
500g cooked venison
salt and pepper
300g cooked potatoes
venison, beef or lamb stock, thickened with a little cornflour
beef or lamb dripping pastry, made with stock instead of water.
1 large egg to glaze
A 24cm spring-form tin.
- Divide the chilled pastry into two pieces, one large than the other.
- Cut off about 1/3 of the pastry and roll out for the lid of the pie. Cut it to size with 2cm extra all round. Cover with cling film and set aside.
- Gather the trimmings together with the rest of the pastry and roll out for lining your greased pie tin. Be sure not to have your pastry too thin, as it will have to support a lot of filling – no less than 1cm on the sides and a little thicker over the bottom half of the pie. Let any excess pastry lie over the edges of the tin.
- Chill the tin in the fridge until required.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
- Cut the meat into cubes, discarding any fat or connective tissue.
- Season well with salt and pepper.
- Cut the potatoes into cubes roughly the same size as the meat.
- Add the cubed potatoes to the seasoned venison, together with enough gravy to coat.
- Add the filling to the pie and press down firmly. Spoon over a little extra gravy.
- Moisten the top edges of the pastry with water and cover with the pre-cut lid. Press firmly to seal, then crimp the edges either by hand or with the tines of a fork. Use the offcuts of pastry to form decorations and secure to the lid using a little water.
- Cut a vent hole for steam, then whisk the egg and brush over the top of the pie.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and brown and the filling hot. - Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then remove and serve, or if eating cold, allow to cool fully in the tin.
Deja Food 