1 Pound of Shortcrust pastry
1 Egg white, beaten
Until liquid
1 pound of Boned breasts of chicken
Pigeon or wild duck and/or Saddle of hare or rabbit (not stewing meat)
Salt and black pepper
1 pound of Minced beef
2 tablespoon of Shredded suet
3 Hard-boiled egg
Yolks crumbled 1/4 teaspoon Each ground
Cinnamon and mace
a pinch of ground cloves
1 ounce of Stoned cooking dates chopped
1 ounce of Currants
2 ounce of Stoned prunes soaked And drained
1/2 cup of Beef stock
1 tablespoon of Rice flour or cornflour

Preparation

1. Use just over half the pastry to line a 23-cm/9-inch pie plate.

2. Brush the inside with some of the egg white.

3. Skin the pieces of breast and other meat if necessary and parboil them gently in salted water for 10-15 minutes. Drain and leave to cool.

4. Mix together in a bowl the minced beef, suet, salt and pepper to taste, the egg yolks and half the spice mixture.

5. Add the rest of the spices to the dried fruit in another bowl. Slice the parboiled meat.

6. Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.

7. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the beef stock to the rice flour or cornflour in a small saucepan and cream them together.

8. Add the remaining stock and stir over gentle heat until slightly thickened. Keep aside.

9. Cover the bottom of the pastry case with half the mince mixture. Arrange the sliced meat in a flat layer on top. Scatter the chopped spiced fruit over it and cover with the remaining mince.

10. Pour the thickened stock over the lot. Roll out the remaining pastry into a round to make a lid for the pie. Brush the rim of the case with a little more egg white and cover with the lid. Press the edges to seal, and make escape slits for steam.

11. Decorate with the pastry trimmings and glaze with egg white. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 160C/325F/Gas Mark 3 and bake for 45-50 minutes longer.

Serves 6 to 8.