Pigeon or Squab Pie 6 Pigeons or squabs (about 5 pounds drawn weight)
6 Livers from birds
1/2 ts Salt
1/4 ts Pepper
2 ts Parsley
Butter or margarine
1 lb Sirloin or round steak cut paper thin
1/2 lb Mushrooms, chopped
1 c Chopped parsley
4 Hard-cooked egg yolks
1 1/2 c Brown gravy (13.4 oz can)
Puff Pastry:
1 c Butter
2 c Sifted cake flour
1/4 To 1/2 cup ice water
Rinse the birds in cold water, drain and pat dry. Chop the livers and mix with salt, pepper, and parsley. Place some of the liver mixture and a dot of butter in each bird. Truss the birds. Line the bottom of a 14- x 9- x 2-inch baking dish with the beef, then with a layer of mushrooms and parsley. Set the birds on this, separating each from the other with hard-cooked egg yolks. Pour the brown gravy over the birds. Cover the top of the baking dish with puff pastry, being sure to secure edges. Make gashes or a design down the center of the pastry. Bake in a 450 degree F. oven 8-10 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown, and the birds are cooked. Makes 6 servings. Puff Pastry: Allow half of butter to soften. Cut remaining butter into flour with 2 knives scissors-fashion or with pastry blender until all the tiny particles of fat are coated with flour. Add ice water a little at a time, toss with fork, use only enough water to hold ingredients together. On lightly floured board roll out dough 1/4-inch thick and square shaped. Spread two thirds of dough with a quarter of the softened butter; fold unbuttered third over center third and fold remaining buttered third over to cover first third, buttered side down. (You should have 3 layers of dough with butter between each layer.) Roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and make it square again. Spread with another quarter of the butter. Fold as before; chill thoroughly (about 1 hour each time). Roll, spread with butter, fold and chill 2 more times. Roll into rectangle large enough to fit top of casserole. Bake in 450 degree F. oven 8-10 minutes, then reduce heat heat to 350*F. and bake as directed in Pigeon Pie or longer until golden and puffed. Pigeon or Squab Pie printer friendly version located here.
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