AuthorCarol RidehalghCategoryMane CoursesDifficultyIntermediateThis recipe for Partridge Game Pie is inspired by both Nigel Slater and Jose Souto. It is extremely flexible both in the way you assemble it and the quantities required. It would also work well using cooked chicken breast in the place of the partridge, for those who don't have easy access to game meat. (Use 1 chicken breast per whole partridge)
You can make a "Tourte" cooked in a 24cm loose bottom round tin, but don't rush out and buy one because it works equally well in the shape of a "Wellington". I think the round shape works well cold for a picnic, or you might prefer to do individual game sausage rolls. (scroll down to see photos).
If you would like to serve this pie hot, then the "Wellington" shape is going to be the easiest to slice and plate. You will want to make a 'jus' from the partridge carcass/wings if serving the pie hot. Simply boil up the cooked carcass with an onion, bay leaf, slice of bacon and cover it with organic chicken stock. Simmer for 20 mins over low heat, sieve and return to the heat boiling rapidly to reduce by 1/3rd. Just before serving, pull off the heat and whisk in a generous knob of unsalted butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.
For the puff pastry, shop-bought is absolutely fine. Buy the best quality all-butter (or the highest percentage of butter available).
On reading through the recipe it may seem complicated, but actually, if you are organised it is quite straightforward. Start the day before, get the barley cooked, the partridge cooked and the onions/bacon etc. cooked, cooled and mixed with the sausagemeat. Cover each individual element and chill overnight. It will then be a breeze to assemble and cook the following day.
Preheat the oven to hot 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas mark 6 / 400°F
Place the pearl barley in a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook until soft, according to instructions on the packet. This will take about 40 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
Lay the partridge in a roasting tin, brush with melted butter and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper black. Pop into the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes. Remove the partridge from the oven and leave to cool.
Finely chop the onions. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add the onions and soften for 5 minutes stirring from time to time.
Roughly chop the bacon and add to the onions with 2 more tbsp of olive oil if necessary.
Stir and cook a further 5 minutes.
Finely chop the garlic stir into the onions/bacon, cook for 1 minute.
Finely chop the thyme and parsley, stir in and remove from the heat.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip into a bowl and leave to one side to cool.
Remove the skins from the sausages and put the meat into a bowl.
When the onion and bacon mix is cold, add it to the sausage meat and mix together well.
When the partridge are cool enough to handle, remove the breasts and dice the meat.
Take 1/3rd of the puff pastry and roll it out to line a 24cm round, loose bottom tart tin, allowing a little to overlap.
Take half of the sausage stuffing and pile it into the centre of the pie, then smooth it level but not quite up to the edge of the tin.
Scatter the diced partridge meat over the sausage meat evenly.
Spread the remaining sausage meat over the top of the partridge.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat with a small whisk/fork.
Brush the edge of the bottom layer of pastry well.
Roll out the remaining pastry to a large circle, to cover and hang over the edge of the pie.
Press the 2 pastry edges firmly together, pinching as you go.
Brush over the whole pie with the beaten egg. You can use pastry trimmings to decorate with leaves, then brush them over with the egg.
Pop into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to hot 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas mark 6 / 400°F and place a baking sheet in it.
Pop the prepared pie from the fridge straight onto the hot baking tray.
Set the timer 30 minutes and if the pastry is a lovely deep golden turn the oven down to moderate 180°C /165°C Fan / Gas mark 4 / 350°F and cook a further 30 minutes
You can also use this mixture for making sausage rolls in which case mix the diced partridge meat into the sausage meat, incorporating evenly. This will make it easier to fill the rolls.
You can also make a Game Pie 'Wellington', which is simply the shape of Beef Wellington. Otherwise the same preparation and cooking time as for the round Game Pie.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to hot 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas mark 6 / 400°F
Place the pearl barley in a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook until soft, according to instructions on the packet. This will take about 40 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent sticking.
Lay the partridge in a roasting tin, brush with melted butter and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper black. Pop into the oven and set the timer for 25 minutes. Remove the partridge from the oven and leave to cool.
Finely chop the onions. Heat 4 tbsp of olive oil in a pan, add the onions and soften for 5 minutes stirring from time to time.
Roughly chop the bacon and add to the onions with 2 more tbsp of olive oil if necessary.
Stir and cook a further 5 minutes.
Finely chop the garlic stir into the onions/bacon, cook for 1 minute.
Finely chop the thyme and parsley, stir in and remove from the heat.
Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Tip into a bowl and leave to one side to cool.
Remove the skins from the sausages and put the meat into a bowl.
When the onion and bacon mix is cold, add it to the sausage meat and mix together well.
When the partridge are cool enough to handle, remove the breasts and dice the meat.
Take 1/3rd of the puff pastry and roll it out to line a 24cm round, loose bottom tart tin, allowing a little to overlap.
Take half of the sausage stuffing and pile it into the centre of the pie, then smooth it level but not quite up to the edge of the tin.
Scatter the diced partridge meat over the sausage meat evenly.
Spread the remaining sausage meat over the top of the partridge.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, add a pinch of salt and beat with a small whisk/fork.
Brush the edge of the bottom layer of pastry well.
Roll out the remaining pastry to a large circle, to cover and hang over the edge of the pie.
Press the 2 pastry edges firmly together, pinching as you go.
Brush over the whole pie with the beaten egg. You can use pastry trimmings to decorate with leaves, then brush them over with the egg.
Pop into the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to hot 200°C / 185°C Fan / Gas mark 6 / 400°F and place a baking sheet in it.
Pop the prepared pie from the fridge straight onto the hot baking tray.
Set the timer 30 minutes and if the pastry is a lovely deep golden turn the oven down to moderate 180°C /165°C Fan / Gas mark 4 / 350°F and cook a further 30 minutes
You can also use this mixture for making sausage rolls in which case mix the diced partridge meat into the sausage meat, incorporating evenly. This will make it easier to fill the rolls.
You can also make a Game Pie 'Wellington', which is simply the shape of Beef Wellington. Otherwise the same preparation and cooking time as for the round Game Pie.