Venison with Pasta Pockets

Ingredients

• 300 g flour
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• flour (for dusting)
• a handful of wild thyme
• 1 celery leaf
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 Shallot
• 200 g celeriac
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• nutmeg
• 100 g cream cheese
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• 600 g venison loin fillet (pre‑trimmed)
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 tbsp clarified butter (for searing)
• 200 ml game stock
• 100 ml red wine
• 3 Juniper berries
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 0.5 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lingonberries (jarred)
• 150 ml Vegetable broth
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 1 tbsp grated Parmesan
• Salt
• nutmeg

Instructions

1. 1.

   Knead flour, eggs and oil with 1 tsp salt into a smooth dough; add water or more flour if needed. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film and rest for about 30 minutes.

2. 2.

   Peel shallot and celery; finely dice the shallot and cut celery small. Sauté both in hot butter until translucent. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, add a splash of water, cover and simmer for ~10 minutes until tender. Let steam evaporate, cool, then mash with a fork, fold in cream cheese and parsley, taste and adjust.

3. 3.

   Knead dough again and roll thin on lightly floured surface or using pasta machine. Place 1–2 tsp filling every 5–6 cm on the dough. Cut circles (6–8 cm diameter) with a cutter, brush edges with water, fold to form pockets, press edges well. Cover and rest on floured surface for ~1 hour.

4. 4.

   Preheat oven to 140 °C (275 °F) fan‑heated.

5. 5.

   Pat venison dry, season with salt and pepper. Sear all sides in hot clarified butter until golden brown. Transfer to a parchment‑lined tray and roast for about 20 minutes until pink inside.

6. 6.

   Drain fat; deglaze pan with stock and wine, add crushed juniper berries and rosemary, simmer ~5 minutes. Whisk cornstarch into 1 tbsp cold water, stir into sauce to thicken. Remove herbs, fold in lingonberries, season with salt and pepper.

7. 7.

   For the white sauce, reduce broth and cream to about one‑third; add Parmesan, season with salt and nutmeg, then briefly whisk to froth before serving.

8. 8.

   Boil pasta pockets in salted water for ~5 minutes until cooked.

9. 9.

   Wash wild thyme and celery leaf, dry. Sauté in hot butter until lightly golden. Drain pasta pockets, plate them, arrange venison pieces on top, drizzle both sauces around, and serve.