Wood Pigeon Pithivier
A pithivier is a classic French pastry that can be made with a wide variety of fillings, from sweet frangipane to savory combinations such as spinach and goat cheese. This version is filled with wood pigeon, mushrooms, spinach, pâté, and Savoy cabbage for a rich, gamey centerpiece. Partridge or a mixture of game can also be used. Think of it as a particularly elegant pie.
Ingredients
- 12 wood pigeon breasts
- 500 g baby spinach
- 500 g button mushrooms , finely chopped
- 2 shallots , finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 1 Savoy cabbage
- 500 g chicken liver pâté
- 2 sprigs thyme , leaves picked
- Rapeseed oil , as needed
- butter , as needed
- Salt , to taste
- ground white pepper , to taste
For the Pastry
- 1 kg all-butter puff pastry
- 2 eggs , beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
Prepare the Pigeon
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add a little rapeseed oil.
- Sear the pigeon breasts until evenly browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool completely.
Prepare the Cabbage
- Remove 8 large outer leaves from the Savoy cabbage, allowing 2 leaves per pithivier.
- Cut a V-shape at the base of each leaf to remove the thick central stalk.
- Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil and blanch the cabbage leaves for about 1½ minutes.
- Transfer immediately to an ice bath or cool under cold running water.
- Once cold, place the leaves between two sheets of parchment paper and gently flatten them with a rolling pin, taking care not to tear them.
- Refrigerate until needed.
Prepare the Spinach
- Melt a knob of butter in a large saucepan.
- Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Season lightly with salt.
- Spread the spinach onto a clean tea towel and allow it to cool. Once cool, squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible.
Prepare the Mushroom Mixture
- Return the pigeon pan to the heat and add about 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil.
- Add the mushrooms and cook over high heat for around 10 minutes, or until their liquid has evaporated and they begin to caramelize.
- Add the shallots, garlic, and most of the thyme leaves. Cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and ground white pepper, then set aside to cool completely.
Assemble the Pithiviers
- Make sure all the filling ingredients are completely cold before assembling.
- Roll out the puff pastry to about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick.
- Cut out four 15 cm (6 inch) discs and four 10 cm (4 inch) discs.
- Line a ladle or small bowl with cling film. This will help form the filling into a neat dome.
- Lay 2 cabbage leaves inside, allowing enough overhang to fold over the filling.
- Add a layer of the mushroom mixture, followed by spinach and a slice of chicken liver pâté. Top with 3 pigeon breasts.
- Fold the cabbage leaves over the filling to enclose it completely and press gently to form a compact dome.
- Turn the dome out onto a tray and repeat to make 4 in total.
- Lay the four smaller pastry discs on a lined baking sheet.
- Place one filling dome in the center of each disc, leaving about a 2 cm (¾ inch) border around the edge. Brush the exposed pastry border with beaten egg.
- Place the larger pastry discs over the filling and press the edges down firmly to seal. Crimp the edges with a fork.
- Decorate the tops by lightly scoring the pastry with a knife, or add a pastry lattice if desired.
- Cut a small hole in the top of each pithivier to allow steam to escape. Brush all over with beaten egg.
- If using a lattice, tuck a few reserved thyme leaves between the pastry strips.
Chill and Bake
- Refrigerate the assembled pithiviers for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden and crisp.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
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