French-style duck pie

Food writer Sam Ellis-Cosgrove shares the duck pie recipe that played a special role in her leap into the food world – and holds treasured midwinter memories. Inspired by French croustade de canard, it’s flavoured with thyme, garlic and pancetta.

“It was on my honeymoon in Paris that I discovered croustade de canard (that’s duck pie to you and me). After a long day of sightseeing, my husband and I stopped for supper at a cosy-looking bistro just along from our hotel on the Rue Saint-Ferdinand. Looking for something warm and comforting and intrigued by a dish we had never tried before, we opted for the pie.

The pastry was crisp, buttery and flaky, and the thyme-infused filling with its soft confit duck and salty ham was so delicious, eaten with a carafe of house red. I didn’t know at the time just how important that rich little pie would be, but afterwards it sat centre stage at my first ever supper club and has stayed with me ever since.”

For info on Sam’s Duck Pie Supper Club, based in Hampshire, follow her on Instagram. Next time: try our chicken jalfrezi pie with lime pickle pastry.