Italian Offal  & Veal Recipes - Veal and Juniper Pie (Vitello e Pasticcio di Ginepro) Recipe

Ingredients

                  

• 45 ml/3 tablespoons oil

• 2 leeks, sliced

• 225g/8 oz button mushrooms, roughly chopped

• 275g/10 oz veal

• 30 ml/2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp juniper berries, roughly crushed

• 15 ml/1 tbsp tomato puree (paste)

• 300ml/1 1/4 cups beef stock

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 potatoes, diced

• 225g/8 oz packet puff pastry (paste)

• Beaten egg, to glaze

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Method:

1. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole (Dutch oven). Add the leeks and mushrooms and fry (sauté) gently for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Cut the veal into 2.5 cm/1 in cubes. Add the veal to the juices in the casserole and fry until evenly browned.

3. Stir in half the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the juniper berries, tomato puree, beef stock and seasoning.

4. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven.

5. Stir the leeks, mushrooms and potatoes into the veal. Spoon the ingredients into a large pie dish with a rim.

6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Wet the edges of the dish. Cover the filling with the pastry, pressing the edges tightly to seal.

7. Use the pastry trimmings to decorate and make a hole in the centre to allow steam to escape.

8. Brush the pastry top with the beaten egg and stand on a baking sheet. Return to the oven for 35 minutes until the pastry is golden brown.