SPRING TRUFFLE PITHIVIERS WITH A MADERIA REDUCTION
Ingredients
- 250g/9oz plain flour
- 250g/9oz butter
- chilled and cut into pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- 125ml/4½fl oz ice-cold water
- 4 spring truffles
- 75ml/2½fl oz Madeira
- 400g/14oz good-quality beef or veal stock
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 1 free-range egg
- separated and yolk lightly beaten
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 25g/1oz butter
- 50g/1¾oz baby spinach
- puff pastry (from above)
- 75g/2½oz butter
- 1 shallot
- finely chopped
- 400g/14oz mixed wild mushrooms
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh chervil
- to garnish
Directions
- For the puff pastry
- place the flour in a mound on a clean work surface and make a well in the centre (alternatively use a large mixing bowl). Place the butter and salt in the well and rub them together with the fingertips of one hand
- gradually drawing the flour into the centre with the other hand.
- When the cubes of butter have become small pieces and the dough is grainy
- gradually add the iced water and mix until it is all incorporated (don’t overwork the dough – you should have a marbled effect with the butter without mixing it in properly). Bring the mixture into a ball
- wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Flour a clean work surface and roll out the pastry to a 40x20cm/16x8in rectangle. (It doesn’t matter if the pastry isn’t exactly the right size - the important thing is that the corners are tidy and square.) Starting with a narrow edge of the rectangle
- fold the top third down to the centre
- then the bottom third up and over that.
- Turn the pastry 90 degrees and again roll into a 40x20cm/16x8in rectangle. Fold it as before
- then wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chilled pastry and repeat the process (rolling and folding another two times). Wrap the pastry in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
- For the spring truffle pithivier
- preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
- Place the truffle in a saucepan with the jus and Madeira and poach for 10 minutes. Remove from the liquid and pat dry. Keep the liquid for the sauce.
- Place the chicken in a food processor and blend. Add the egg white and blend again. Add the cream and blend to a smooth mousse. Place in a piping bag with a plain nozzle attached and set aside.
- Heat a large frying pan and
- once hot
- add the butter. When the butter has melted
- add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes
- or until the spinach has wilted. Turn out onto kitchen paper to drain.
- Roll out the chilled pastry onto a floured surface and cut out eight circles using a saucer as a guide.
- Take four circles of pastry and lay the spinach in a circle on top of each one – leaving a 1cm/½in gap around the edge. Place a truffle on top of each.
- Pipe the chicken mousse around the truffles and place another circle of pastry on top. Using a fork
- crimp the edges to seal (if desired
- you can also use a knife to draw a design on the top at this stage).
- Brush the top of the pithiviers with lightly beaten egg yolk and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes
- or until golden-brown.
- Meanwhile to make the Madeira reduction
- heat a pan and add one third of the butter. When melted
- add the shallot and cook for a couple of minutes
- then add the Madeira and stock used to cook the truffle and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half.
- In a separate pan
- heat the remaining butter. Once hot
- add the mushrooms and cook for three minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.
- To serve
- place a pithivier in the centre of each plate. Add the mushrooms and drizzle the reduction around the edge. Garnish with chervil.

