Mini “Pigeon” Pies

Posted July 18, 2024 by Alison's Wonderland Recipes in Book of the Month Recipes / 0 Comments

I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. There’s absolutely NO pigeon in this pie (it’s chicken!😁). Today’s recipe is a freebie from my new cookbook, A LITERARY PICNIC: EXTENDED EDITION, which includes a menu inspired by the works of Jane Austen. Pigeon pie was a popular meal in Jane Austen’s day and is served in EMMA, so I decided to make it the entrée for both my Austen cookbook menu and my EMMA blog menu.

In these mini pot pies, the shredded chicken is mixed with a few veggies and an ultra flavorful broth seasoned with garlic, lemon, sage, ginger, and . . . mead! Jane Austen was an enthusiastic winemaker, and the Austen family recipe for homemade mead survives today. If you want to be really hardcore, you can use it to make your own mead for your pigeon pies.

Let’s get cooking!

A

Mini “Pigeon” Pies

“It was now the middle of June, and the weather fine; and Mrs. Elton was growing impatient to name the day, and settle with Mr. Weston as to pigeon-pies and cold lamb . . . “

— Emma

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbsp olive oil
⅓ cup each of diced onion, carrot, and celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp snipped fresh sage
¼ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 Tbsp flour
½ cup mead
¼ cup chicken broth
¼ cup milk
4 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1½” heart cookie cutter

Makes 4 mini “pigeon” pies

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Add oil to a large skillet over medium-low heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, lemon zest, sage, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly, until onion is translucent. Add flour, stirring for 1 minute until pasty.
Increase heat to medium. Gradually stir in mead and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 1 more minute. Gradually stir in the milk. Stir in the shredded chicken. Remove from heat.
On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a 10″ square. Place 4 3.5-inch (7 oz) round ramekins upside down over the puff pastry and cut around the edges of the ramekins. Remove ramekins and turn right side up. Evenly divide filling between the ramekins. Cover with puff pastry circles.
Whisk together the egg and water and brush it over the pastry circles. Use the cookie cutter to cut 8 small hearts from the puff pastry scraps. Partially overlap 2 hearts in the center of each pastry circle. Brush egg wash over the shapes. Prick the tops of the pies several times with a fork.
Evenly space ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to rest on the pan for 10 minutes before serving.