Pies are such a good invention. They are perfect comfort food on a dark winter evening. They are also superbly portable – so you can take a slice out for a snack in the field, for elevenses or for a picnic. (Read some more shoot lunch ideas here.)

Here are two recipes for delicious pheasant pie. If you’d like to add a bit of venison to the mix, take a look at our recipe for gamekeepers pie.)

I remember playing with the pastry cut-offs when my grandmother was making pies. Slightly unusually, one of the pheasant pie recipes below uses a ladle to create the shape – but it works well and is certainly a talking point.

One last word – don’t feel you have to make your own pastry. The standard of puff pastry you can buy in chiller cabinets at the supermarket is excellent nowadays.  (Take a look at our other pie recipes here.)

A pheasant pie is a delicious dish for supper or a picnic out in the field

Pheasant pie with sausagemeat

Ingredients:

• 2 pheasant breasts
• 150g puff pastry
• 6 chopped chestnuts
• 1 sausage (skinned)
• 2 tbsp mashed potato
• 2 chopped spring onions
• handful chopped parsley
• salt and pepper
• glug of brandy
• thyme
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 2 eggs
• plain flour

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170 degrees
2. Cut the pheasant breasts into evenly sized small cubes.
3. Put the sausage, one egg and chopped chestnuts in a bowl, along with the chopped parsley, and mix together with the chopped spring onion and mashed potato.
4. Fry the meat to seal in a pan with thyme and garlic, season with salt and pepper and add a glug of brandy.
5. Set to one side to cool and then add to the sausage mix.
6. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface, roll the pastry out and line a ladle, making sure that there is some overhang.
7. Fill the ladle with the meat mix.
8. Paint the edges with egg wash and then fold over
   to seal.
9. Remove from the ladle by turning it over and place in the fridge on a plate for about 10 minutes for the pastry to harden off.
10. Score the pie from the middle downwards all the way around.
11. Paint with egg wash.
12. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 170 degrees making sure the top doesn’t burn.
13. Remove and eat either hot or cold.

Farmhouse pheasant pie (serves 4-6)

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 oz butter
• 1/2lb bacon, diced
• 1 chopped onion
• 6oz chopped mushrooms
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1 lb cooked pheasant, diced
• 8 oz broccoli, blanched
• 2 tsp chopped coriander
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 1 pint white sauce
• 2 tbsp double cream
• 1/2 pint white wine
• 8 oz frozen puff pastry
• A little milk

Method

1. Turn the oven to200°C
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, and fry the bacon, onion, mushrooms and crushed garlic for about eight minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Spoon everything into a pie dish, and add the pheasant, broccoli and coriander.
4. Season and crumble over the stock cubes.
5. Pour the white sauce over the mixture, add the cream and wine and stir gently.
6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface.
7. Cover the pie with the pastry, and moisten the edges so it is well sealed.
8. Brush with milk to glaze.
9. Bake at 200°C for approximately 25 minutes until golden brown.