Medieval Chicken Pie Recipes

MEDIEVAL GAME HEN POT PIE

Steps:

• For the hen: Put the hen in a 1 gallon re-sealable plastic bag with the water, honey, and salt. Seal the bag and move around vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes to distribute the honey and dissolve the salt. Set the bag in a leak-proof container and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the pastry: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a small mixing bowl and set aside. Combine the milk, water, and lard in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the flour all at once, and stir with a wooden spoon until combined and the mixture begins to form into a ball of dough.
• Place the dough onto a floured work surface and knead until cooled, approximately 5 minutes. Divide the dough in half, and divide one of the pieces in half again. Set aside.
• For the egg wash: Combine the egg and water in a small bowl. Set aside.
• To build the pot pie: Remove the hen from the brine and pat dry. Use kitchen shears to cut away the skin from the breast of the hen. Place the dried fruit into the cavity of the hen and tie the legs with butchers twine. Place the hen in the center of a piece of parchment and trace an oval approximately 1/2-inch larger than the hen, approximately 8 1/2 inches long by 6 1/2 inches wide. Remove the hen from the parchment and turn the paper over to avoid getting pencil on the dough.
• Roll the two quarters of dough into ovals according to the template; this is the base and the top of the pot pie. Place one of the ovals in the center of the parchment. Set the other oval aside. Roll the remaining half of dough into a 1/2-inch thick and 4-inch wide strip of dough that will go around the oval piece and surround the hen. Brush around the edge of the base pastry with egg wash. Place the thyme sprigs on the base, then top with the hen. Place the 4-inch wide strip of dough around the hen, forming a "wall" around the hen. Press the ends together. Press down to seal this to the base pastry. Sprinkle the hen with the allspice, black pepper, cumin, and paprika. Brush the top of the "wall" with egg wash. Place the remaining oval of pastry on top of the hen and crimp, attaching the top to the wall. Patch any holes with excess dough. Brush the entire pastry with egg wash. Bake until the hen reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F, about1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest 20 minutes before serving.

MEDIEVAL ROASTED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine all ingredients together to prepare the marinade. Dip the whole chicken in the marinade. Cover chicken completely with marinade. Let sit for 4 to 5 minutes. Place chicken on a sheet pan. Cook for 50 minutes uncovered, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.

MEDIEVAL CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a saucepan, boil chicken with chicken broth, over low heat, for about 1 hour or until done. Add water, if necessary, to cover chicken while cooking. Drain and reserve the broth, and place cooked chicken in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Add egg, white wine and 1 cup of chicken stock to the cooked chicken. Add dates, ground almonds and cheese, then toss to mix. Add salt, black and white pepper, cloves, ginger, mace and cinnamon. Mix spices in. Don't worry if the filling seems wet, it will thicken as it cooks.
• Pour filling into pie shell. Cover with top shell and crimp to seal edges.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes to an hour.

MEDIEVAL CHICKEN PIE

Steps:

• Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a saucepan, boil chicken with chicken broth, over low heat, for about 1 hour or until done. Add water, if necessary, to cover chicken while cooking. Drain and reserve the broth, and place cooked chicken in a large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Add egg, white wine and 1 cup of chicken stock to the cooked chicken. Add dates, ground almonds and cheese, then toss to mix. Add salt, black and white pepper, cloves, ginger, mace and cinnamon. Mix spices in. Don't worry if the filling seems wet, it will thicken as it cooks.
• Pour filling into pie shell. Cover with top shell and crimp to seal edges.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 45 minutes to an hour.

MEDIEVAL PIGEON PIE

Steps:

• Cut the pigeon breasts into small pieces. Finely dice the onion, celery, leek and carrot.
• Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the pigeon, chicken livers and pancetta in olive oil until lightly browned. Put into a pie dish.
• Add a further tablespoon of the oil to the frying pan and fry the onion, celery, leek and carrot until golden, and then add this to the pie dish.
• Fry the button mushrooms and shallots in the remaining oil and add to the pie dish.
• Spoon tomato paste into the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the stock. Add the peppercorns, rosemary, sage and thyme to the stock, and bring to the boil.
• Set the oven to 375°F Pour the stock over the meat in the pie dish.
• Roll the pastry out to cover the pie and bake for 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

MEDIEVAL MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Broil the meat till very rare, but cooked through.
• Cut it into small cubes.
• Mix with all other ingredients except the pie shell.
• For the broth, just add enough to make the mixture a little wetter.
• Put the mixture into the pie shell.
• Be sure the shell lid is sealed, and punch some holes in the top with a knife.
• Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes to an hour, till the shell is golden brown.
• Makes 6-8 slices, and can be served any temperature.
• It's easiest to cut when cold.