Recipe: Chestnut and Red Wine Pate en Croute

CHESTNUT AND RED WINE PATE EN CROUTE

25g/1 oz butter or margarine
2 medium sized onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
50g/2 oz button mushrooms, sliced
90ml/3 fl.oz. red wine
175g/6 oz tinned unsweetened chestnut puree
75g/3 oz soft breadcrumbs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
450g/1 lb flaky pastry
a little beaten egg to glaze

Melt the butter in a saucepan; add the onions and fry for about 10 minutes until they are tender but not browned.

Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the wine and let it bubble for a minute or two until most of the liquid has gone, then remove from the heat.

Stir in the chestnut puree, bread crumbs and salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 230 degrees C (450 degrees F, Gas Mark 8).

Roll out the pastry to two strips, one 6x12-inch, the other 9x12-inch. Put the small strip on a baking tray and brush with water. Spoon the mixture on to the pastry, keeping 1/2-inch clear round the edge and piling it up into a nice loaf-like shape in the middle. Brush the edge of the pastry with water and top with the second piece of pastry. Press together lightly and trim the edges.

Cut the trimmings into leaves and decorate the top. Make several holes to let out the steam. Brush with beaten egg or milk.

Bake for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees C (400 degrees F, Gas Mark 6) and bake 20-25 minutes longer.

Freezes well uncooked. A great vegetarian main course at Christmas or Easter.

Servings: 4
Adapted from source: Angela Webb, Eccleshall, Staffs, UK