These handheld pies are big on flavour, and I find the ‘feta’ cheese creates an excellent balance with the meaty, spicy pheasant and chorizo. Here in the UK we make some outstanding, crumbly
Mediterranean-style cheeses but as the term ‘feta’ has PDO [protected designation of origin] status we have to give them a different name. I am a huge fan of Mrs Bell’s Salad Cheese, made by Shepherds Purse in North Yorkshire, and Fetish by White Lake in Somerset. (Find more pheasant recipes here.)

Recipe for pheasant, chorizo and ‘feta’ hand pies

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
• 50g spicy chorizo, diced
• 2 pheasant breasts (skin and sinews removed), cut into bite-sized pieces
• 100ml crème fraîche 2 heaped tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• 75g sheep’s salad cheese/‘feta’
• 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Filling

1. In a pan on a medium heat add the oil then sauté the onion and garlic until softened. Put in the chorizo and cook for a few more minutes before adding the pheasant breast pieces.
2. Season and, stirring often, cook for about 5 minutes or until the meat is just done. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
3. Stir in the crème fraîche and parsley then crumble in the cheese and mix well. Check the seasoning.

To assemble

1. Divide each sheet of pastry into 4 wide strips (mine measured around 20cm x 8cm each).
2. Brush each strip with egg wash then place a spoonful of the pheasant mix at one end. Fold up the uncovered part of the pastry and press down to seal, crimping the edges and piercing the top with a fork.
3. Egg wash the outside. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients and arrange across two baking sheets.
4. The assembled pies can now be kept in the fridge overnight or chilled for 30 minutes then baked.

To bake

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/Gas Mark 61/2.
2. Bake for 25 minutes, swapping the trays round halfway. Tip: These can be eaten hot or, if taking on a picnic, left to cool on a rack before packaging and transporting. The pies hold together well so can be eaten standing up with one hand, leaving the other free for a glass of something delicious.

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