“There are no rules about food and wine. There are only silly conventions which people are changing. Good Pinotage goes well with most good food. Don’t be scared. Experiment. The grape and the wine have an infinite variety of shades and moods, and only your imagination limits its uses. Don’t forget, though, that sometimes the best match is just you and a glass of Pinotage!” – Pinotage Association

Since Pinotage has its roots firmly in South African soil, delivers hearty and full-bodied flavours of prunes, dark chocolate and warm spices, and since South Africans are known for cooking hearty food, why not celebrate our Pinotage Heritage with a delicious Springbok venison pie? This recipe is simple, easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of Springbok
• 500ml brown vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 500ml Lanzerac Pinotage
• 6 peppercorns
• 5 whole cloves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 250 g bacon diced into small blocks
• 1 teaspoon of ground cloves

For the doughy-crust:

• 1 cup of self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 125ml oil
• 125ml milk
• Salt

Instructions

• Marinade the Springbok leg in the bay leaves and vinegar for 3 days.
• Rinse the marinated leg after the 3 days and put it into an oven dish. Pour the wine and spices over the meat and season well.
• Cook (covered) in the oven at 140°C and cook for 6-8 hours until soft. Let it cool slightly and pull the meat apart.
• Fry the onion and the bacon until soft and golden, add the meat with all the sauces and the teaspoon of cloves and cook through.  Place into a pie dish.
• To make the dough for the pie combine the flour, eggs, oil, milk and salt together and pour over the pie.
• Bake the pie for 20 minutes at 180°C until golden brown on top.
• Serve with Lanzerac Pinotage and enjoy with good friends and family.