Turkey Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

Pieter Claesz - Still Life with Turkey Pie

Pieter Claesz, (1597 -1661), was a Dutch painter who achieved a striking simplicity and atmospheric quality in still-life representations. Avoiding the crowded compositions and strong local colouring of the Mannerist tradition, he concentrated on the monochrome “breakfast piece,” the depiction of a simple meal set near the corner of a table. The play of light on the characteristic objects—a glass of wine, a knife, a metal plate with fish or bread, and a bowl of berries—creates a rich effect while preserving the solidity of the forms. Claesz’s increasingly decorative work after 1640 includes lavish still-life displays such as the one above. 

Suggested by Pieter Claesz's "Still Life with Turkey Pie" this Baroque masterpiece has been modernised here for us! 
Serves 4
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INGREDIENTS:

• 500g (1lb 2oz) turkey thigh meat, cut into 2 cm cubes
• 100ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 medium parsnip, diced
• ¼ bay leaf
• ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
• ¼ teaspoon mixed herbs
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 50g (3 ½ tablespoons) tomato paste
• 50ml (1/4 up) dry red wine
• 30ml ((2 tablespoons) port
• 2 juniper berries, crushed
• 30g (2 tablespoons) marmalade
• ½ chicken stock cube
• Salt and pepper
• 2 sheets puff pastry (30cm x 30cm)

Sweet Potato Mash

• 1 large sweet potato
• ½  clove garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper
• 15g (tablespoon) butter

1. DIRECTIONS:
2. Heat oven to 220C/420F. Grease a 20cm (7 1/5 inch) pie dish.
3. Heat 50ml of the oil in a pan and fry the venison or beef until brown.
4. Heat the remaining 50ml of oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion, carrot, parsnip, bay leaf, caraway seeds, herbs and garlic.
5. Add meat, tomato paste and stir, then add the wine, port, juniper berries and marmalade. Cook until tender. Add the crumbled stock cube and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Line the base and sides of the greased pie dish with one sheet of the pastry. Fill with the pie mixture.
7. Cover with the second sheet of pastry, trim, then slightly moisten the edges to crimp together. Make three slits in the top and bake until golden brown.

Sweet Potato Mash

1. Peel and cut the sweet potato into large chunks.
2. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Simmer until soft.
3. Strain, then mash with butter, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.