Recipe: Partridge and pear puffs

This recipe using partridge breasts and pears makes a lovely change from traditional roasts or stews... delicate and flavourful, this dish would make the perfect game starter at a dinner party

This delicious partridge breast recipe comes courtesy of the British Game Alliance

Serves 12

Ingredients

- Pastry 127mm Squares, defrosted

- 12 Partridge breasts

- 6 Ripe dessert pears

- 375 ml Port

- Salt and black pepper

- Small bunch of fresh sage with stalks removed

- 12 Strings of redcurrants, optional

- 6 tbsp redcurrant jelly

- Beaten egg to glaze

Equipment required

- Baking tray

- Shallow ovenproof pie dish

- Pastry Brush

Method

1. Place partridge breasts in a shallow dish with the port, seasonings and a few of the sage leaves, roughly chopped - allow to marinade for 15 minutes.

2. Peel, halve and core two pears and cut into 24 slices, keep remaining pears to one side.

3. To assemble, lay half the pastry squares on the work surface, place two slices of pear, side by side on each then lay a partridge breast on top of each, keeping the marinade mixture. Scatter with a little chopped sage and a few redcurrants. Make parallel cuts in the remaining pastry squares but leave a border around edge of each.

4. Brush the borders of pastry around the partridge breasts with beaten egg, top each with a pastry square with the slits in, press edges firmly together, knock up edges and brush each with beaten egg.

5. Bake for 15 -20 minutes until pastry is risen and golden brown. Meanwhile, peel the remaining pears, core and slice.

6. Heat together the port marinade mixture and the redcurrant jelly and gently cook the pear slices until just tender.

7. Serve the pear slices hot with the partridge puffs.

For a step-by-step video showing you the quickest way to debreast a bird, click here