4 Bites turkey pie
Midwinter turkey pie ... gobble, gobble
Turkey confit
In a large roasting dish place 2 kg turkey drumsticks, thighs and wings. Add 1 small chopped eggplant, 1 bulb of garlic cloves bashed and peeled, 1 Tbsp peppercorns, 1 tsp sea salt flakes, a large handful each of fresh oregano and thyme, 7 fresh bay leaves, the zest and juice of 1 lemon or grapefruit, 1 cup good white wine (or chicken stock), then add enough melted duck fat to just cover meat (approx 2-3 cups). Top with a folded sheet of baking paper, cover tightly with sheets of foil and bake in a 150C oven for 3-4 hours, or until meat is falling from the bone. Remove the turkey, eggplant and garlic to a bowl to cool, then shred the meat from the bones. Carefully strain the liquor into another bowl, discard the solids. Cool the liquor to separate and set the fat from the stock, then remove fat to clean containers (you can use it again) and reserve the stock.
Shortcrust pastry
Into a large mixing bowl sift 270g high grade flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. Mix through the zest of 1 lemon, 1-2 tsp finely chopped fresh herbs (thyme and oregano), and 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper. Add 125g diced unsalted butter and rub into the flour until sandy. Make a well in the centre and add enough cold water, a little at a time, so it binds the mix into a rough pastry ball. Form, and flatten the dough out between 2 baking paper sheets. Refrigerate and chill for an hour.
Turkey and mushroom filling
Heat ¼ cup of the reserved duck fat. Finely chop 1 large onion, 2 stalks celery and 1-2 yellow or red capsicums. Add all these to the fat and fry gently until soft. Add 7 thinly sliced mushrooms, a small handful of finely chopped oregano and thyme, and fry until soft. Add ¼ cup flour, and stir, cooking the flour into the mixture, for 5 minutes. Add the reserved eggplant and garlic and stir, mashing and cooking into the mix. Gradually add enough hot stock (approx 2 cups), stirring, to cook into a thick gravy. Add the zest and juice of 1 lemon and season. Add the turkey meat and simmer into the gravy to heat through. Stir in a good pour of cream, add a large handful of fresh parsley or coriander, chopped, then cool the mixture to set a little.
The pie
On a floured surface, gently roll out the pastry into a large circular shape that will fill and overlap a 24cm wide x 7cm deep cake tin. Line the tin with baking paper and lay the pastry in the tin. Add the pie filling, folding the overlapped pastry back on top of the pie, and egg wash liberally. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes, sesame or poppy seeds, and bake in a 200C oven for 15 minutes, turn down to 180C and continue to cook 1 hour or more until the pastry is golden and the filling bubbling. Rest a little before slicing. Serve warm or cold, with chutney, cornichons or pickles.