A raised game pie is hard to beat as an autumnal supper centrepiece. And it works well cold for a serve yourself buffet or a picnic. We recommend making two of Sarah Raven’s raised game pie. One for the table and one for the freezer – delicious.

A raised game pie is one of the most impressive creations you can make from a big bag. Bring the infamous Bake Off tent to your own country kitchen with The Great British Bake Off raised game pie. And you can’t go wrong with a recipe from Mary Berry. Try Mary Berry’s raised game pie when you have a house full of guests.

SARAH RAVEN’S RAISED GAME PIE

Sarah Raven’s raised game pie is taken from Sarah Raven’s Food for Friends & Family, available from www.sarahraven.com, £30; photography © Jonathan Buckley

Serves 8-10

• 200g lean pork mince
• 200g unsmoked streaky bacon, chopped
• 350g pheasant breast, diced
• 60g dried apricots
• 60g dried cranberries
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 2-3 tsp flaky sea salt
• Black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 300ml chicken stock
• Large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp powdered gelatine

For the pastry

• 330g plain flour
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 100g lard
• 24cm x 14cm loaf tin, lightly greased

THE METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

To make the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Heat the lard and 140ml water in a saucepan. Once the lard has melted, bring to the boil. Pour the mixture onto the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to form a soft dough. When cool enough to handle, turn onto a floured surface and knead until smooth; it will feel like warm Play-Doh.

Break off a quarter of the dough and set aside for the lid. Roll out the remaining pastry to a thickness of about 5mm and use to line the tin. Use your fingers to work the pastry up the sides until there is a 5mm collar standing proud of the tin.

Put all the meat, fruit, onion, mace and salt into a bowl and mix well with the pepper. Spoon into lined tin.

Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the top. Lay it over the tin, pinching the edges together with the collar. Cut a small hole in the middle and bake for one hour. Brush with beaten egg and return to the oven for 10-15 minutes. Take out and cool for 30 minutes.

Put the chicken stock into a saucepan with the parsley and sprinkle the gelatine on the surface. Whisk to incorporate. Heat slowly until the gelatine has dissolved.

Slowly pour the stock mixture through the hole in the top of the pie – as much as it will take. Chill the pie until firm, preferably overnight, before turning out of the tin.