- plain flour, for dusting
- 1 rabbit, jointed
- 55g/2oz lard, dripping or butter
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced
- 300ml/½ pint red wine
- 150ml/¼ pint stock
- 1 bouquet garni
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 115g/4oz grapes, halved and deseeded
- 55g/2oz raisins
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 hard-boiled free-range eggs, halved
- 3 cooked artichoke hearts, sliced
- 200g/7oz shortcrust pastry
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- For the filling, sprinkle the flour onto a plate and coat the rabbit pieces in the floor, dusting off any excess.
- Heat the lard in a large, ovenproof dish over a medium heat. Add the rabbit pieces and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden-brown all over.
- Add the onions, carrots and artichokes and continue to fry for a few minutes.
- Pour in the wine and stock and bring to the boil. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients then transfer to the oven and cook for 1½ hours, or until the rabbit is tender. Baste the rabbit a few times whilst it’s cooking in the oven, spooning the cooking liquid over the meat, to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
- Spoon the filling into a pie dish and top with the hard-boiled eggs and artichoke hearts.
- Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface until it is slightly larger than the pie dish. Gently drape the pastry over the dish, pressing firmly onto the edges. Trim, then shape the edges into a fluted shape and cut a cross into the middle of the pie. Glaze the pastry with the beaten egg.
- Cook the pie in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden-brown.