Belle Isle School of Cookery
Lisbellaw
Enniskillen
County Fermanagh
Northern Ireland
BT94 5HG
Tel: +44 (0)28 6638 7231
Fax: +44 (0)28 6638 7261
info@irish-cookery-school.com
www.irishcookeryschool.com
Christmas pheasant and potato pie with cranberries
Serves 8
Ingredients
500g/8 oz puff pastry
2 pheasant breasts
720g/1½ lb peeled potatoes, thinly sliced
150g/5 oz butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
75g/3 oz cooked chestnuts
25g/1 oz cranberries
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
250ml/8 floz whipping cream
Salt & pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- In a large frying pan, melt half the butter over a low heat and cook the potatoes until just tender, do not allow them to brown or they will stick to the pan. This will take about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a dish and allow to cool.
- Cut the pheasant into thin strips. Add the rest of the butter to the pan and sweat the shallots gently with a little salt. Add the pheasant and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Cool and mix gently in with the potatoes, chestnuts and cranberries. Season well.
- Roll our half the pastry into a circle about 36cm in diameter and place onto a lightly buttered baking tray or baking mat. Brush the edges lightly with some egg yolk and then spoon the pheasant and potato mixture onto the middle of the pastry disc.
- Roll the rest of the pastry into a slightly larger circle and use it to form a lid for the pie. Crimp the edges of the pie inwards to seal it. Cut a circle from the middle using a scone cutter but do not remove it. Brush the entire pie with egg yolk.