Rabbit Pie (Newfoundland)

Newfoundland Rabbit Pie is a delightful and comforting dish that brings a touch of traditional Newfoundland cuisine to your table. This savoury pie features tender rabbit meat cooked with a medley of vegetables and herbs, all encased in a golden, flaky pastry crust. It’s a perfect blend of rustic and homely flavours, ideal for cozy family dinners or special occasions.

Filling:
2 rabbits
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ cup salt pork or bacon, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
3 cups water
3 carrots, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 cup turnip, chopped

Pastry:
3 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1½ cups butter
½-1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3).

For the Filling:
Section rabbits into pieces. Rinse and dry them thoroughly. Toss rabbit pieces in flour, unbleached. In a skillet heat pork or bacon until rendered and crisp. Brown rabbit pieces in the fat. Transfer meat to an ovenproof dish. Add celery, onion, salt, pepper, and enough water to just cover the rabbit.

Cover and bake for 1½  hours, or until meat is tender.

Take rabbit out of casserole and remove meat from bones. Cut into bite-sized pieces and return to oven dish. Stir in carrot, parsnip, and turnip and cook until vegetables are tender, (about 30 minutes). If sauce is not thick enough, slowly stir in a little flour, unbleached, (mixed to a smooth paste in cold water). Cook until thickened. A few drops of gravy browning may be added.

For the Pastry:
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Work butter into flour with two knives, until mixture is crumbly. Mix in milk lightly with knife until dough forms a soft moist ball. Roll out on floured board until it is large enough to cover the baking dish.

Increase the oven temperature to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Cover casserole with pastry. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.