Name: Pigeon Pie
Yield: Serves 6–8 (makes a 21 cm/8 inch raised pie)
Ingredients: pickles, to serve; 3 leaves of gelatine; watercress, to garnish; 3–4 pigeon feet and first part of the leg, toenails removed, scalded and, if large enough to do so, skinned (optional, unless you are Mrs Crocombe); 170 ml/6 fl oz/¾ cup chicken stock; 1 egg; 1 tbsp milk; 1 tbsp brandy; 1 tbsp port; 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley leaves; 1 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves; pinch each of salt, ground cloves and ground mace; 14 quails’ eggs, hard-boiled for 1 minute 45 seconds (or use pickled quails’ eggs); 1½ tbsp sliced truffles, or 2 truffles if whole (optional); 45 g/1½ oz/½ cup mushrooms, sliced; 8 pigeon breasts; 200 g/7 oz/4–6 slices of cooked ham, finely chopped; 140 g/5 oz/1⅔ cups fresh breadcrumbs; salt and pepper, to taste; 3 eggs, lightly beaten; 3 tsp salt; 600 g/1 lb 3 oz/scant 3 cups minced veal; 2–3 tbsp cold water; 740 g/1 lb 10 oz/scant 6 cups flour; 200 g/7 oz/generous ¾ cup lard, chilled and diced; 200 g/7 oz/generous ¾ cup butter, chilled and diced, plus 2–3 tbsp for the mould

Preparation info

Serves
6–8
(makes a 21 cm 8 inch raised pie)

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

How to Cook The Victorian Way with Mrs Crocombe

By Annie Gray and Andrew Hann

Published 2020

About

Raised pies were one of the more spectacular elements of the Victorian table. Elaborate copper or tin moulds were used and the tops ornamented with pastry decoration. Often, as here, the pies were further decorated with bits of the bird. Pigeon pie had the feet poking out, for instance, while pheasant pie used the head, wings and tail on sticks. These bits could be gently baked beforehand to retain their shape (and prevent raw meat leaking onto the pi