Woodcock Pie, Raised

Ingredients

• forcemeat
• 4 woodcock birds
• stock
• seasoning
• bacon
• truffles
• raised pie crust

Directions

The book gives no oven temperature. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps was added when the recipe was transcribed, as a starting point.

1. Prepare a good veal forcemeat and bone the birds.

2. Cook the bones in water to make stock until a good gravy forms; it should jelly when cold.

3. Pound the gizzards and add them to the forcemeat.

4. Open the birds and layer forcemeat, sliced truffles, and more forcemeat inside each bird.

5. Restore the birds' shape by folding the skin over.

6. Prepare a pie mold with the raised crust.

7. Layer forcemeat, 2 birds, truffles, more forcemeat, the remaining birds, and forcemeat again, topping with neatly cut bacon.

8. Cover and finish the pie, then bake at 400°F (200°C).

9. Add more gravy after baking.

10. Serve on a napkin, garnished with parsley and aspic.