Venison pie

SERVES 8-10

olive oil

½ red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

40 g (1½ oz) smoked bacon, cut into lardons

2 teaspoons each of finely chopped rosemary, sage, thyme and marjoram

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) venison chuck steak, cut into 3 cm cubes

60 g (2¼ oz/½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour

½ teaspoon paprika

175 ml (5½ fl oz) Bootleg Brewery Toms Amber Ale or other amber ale

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) veal stock

3 roma (plum) tomatoes, quartered and then halved

60 g (2¼ oz/½ cup) sultanas (golden raisins)

½ eggplant (aubergine), cubed

1 sheet of ready-made puff pastry

beetroot chutney, to serve

SOUR CREAM PASTRY

300 g (10½ oz/2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

175 g (6 oz) unsalted butter, chopped

175 g (6 oz) sour cream

EGG WASH

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Heat a large flameproof casserole dish over medium heat. Cook the onion in a splash of oil until translucent, add the garlic and bacon and cook for 5 minutes, add the herbs and remove from the pan.

Meanwhile, put the flour into a resealable plastic bag and season with salt, pepper and the paprika. Put the venison in the bag and shake to coat.

Add more oil to the casserole dish and brown the venison in batches, shaking off any excess flour before adding to the pan and adding more olive oil for each batch.

Return all the meat to the pan along with the onion mixture. Pour in the beer and bring to the boil, then add the veal stock and bring back to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and put into the oven for 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sour cream pastry, in an electric mixer, mix the flour, butter and a pinch of salt until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the sour cream and mix until it forms a dough. Remove from the mixer (do not knead), wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Check the meat and add the tomato, sultanas and eggplant and cook for a further 40 minutes or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily. If you still have a lot of liquid in the pan, remove all the solids and reduce the sauce on the stove until it is thick. Remove from the heat, return the meat to the sauce and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, lightly grease a 22 cm (8½ inch) spring-form cake tin. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Line the tin with the sour cream pastry, gently pressing into the base and sides of the tin, leaving the excess pastry hanging over the edges. Place a piece of baking paper over the pastry and fill it with uncooked beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes then remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 15–25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and cool slightly. Trim the excess pastry from the edges and fill with the pie mixture.

For the egg wash, whisk together the egg and the milk. Cut a circle from the puff pastry to fit over the edges of the pie. Brush sides of sour cream pastry with egg wash so that the pastry lid will seal onto it. Press edges to seal and trim any excess pastry. Brush the lid with egg wash and cut a cross into the centre for the steam to escape. Cook for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with some beetroot chutney.