“I love cooking with wine. Sometimes, I even put it in the food.”

There’s a chill in the air. The days are getting shorter.

Winter is coming. Comfort food is calling.

This venison pie is great with some green vegetables or mash. Extra gravy too if that is your thing.

Venison, mushroom and red wine pies

Makes 4 pies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  
• 500 grams venison mince
  
• 1 onion, diced
  
• A knob of butter
  
• 100 grams thinly sliced button mushrooms
  
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
  
• 1 cup red wine
  
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  
• 1 cup beef stock
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• Freshly ground pepper
  
• Cooking spray (or butter)
  
• 4 sheets frozen puff pastry
  
• 1 egg yolk, beaten

FILLING

1. Place a sauté or non-stick frying pan on medium high heat. Add cooking oil. Once hot, add venison mince and onion, breaking up the venison with a wooden spoon and stirring as you go. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat until venison is browned.
   
2. Add a knob* of butter, mushrooms and flour and cook for 2 minutes stirring to distribute and cook evenly. Stir in red wine and cook for 2 minutes.
   
3. Stir in tomato paste, beef stock, salt and pepper, scraping the pan to incorporate. Cover with lid and turn heat down to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before use (at least 10 minutes).
   

PIE PREPARATION

1. While the mince is cooking/cooling, remove puff pastry sheets from freezer to thaw.
   
2. Pre-heat oven to 180°C.
   
3. Spray 4 pie tins with cooking spray.
   
4. Once pastry is soft, cut a 16cm round and a 12cm round from each sheet of pastry and carefully line each tin with the 16cm round.
   
5. Divide the cooled venison filling evenly between the tins and top with a 12cm pastry round. Crimp edges all around with a fork to seal.
   
6. If you wish, use the pastry offcuts to cut designs with a cookie cutter or small knife. Adding optional pastry shapes for decoration. Poke holes across the top using the tines of a fork or a small knife and brush with beaten egg yolk.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C until golden.

* A knob of butter is 1 or 2 tablespoons of butter, depending on how much you like butter.