Place the pigeons, carrot, onion, leek, juniper berries, peppercorns, herbs and white wine into the large stock pot and pour in enough water to just cover.
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 2 ½ hours or until the legs come away easily from the pigeons.
Take the pot off the heat.
Remove the pigeons from the pot and place in the shallow dish to cool.
Strain the stock into the saucepan and reserve.
Once cool place the pigeons on a chopping board, remove the skin and pick the meat off the carcasses, leaving the breasts whole. Return to the dish and set aside.
Place the porcini mushrooms in the small bowl and cover with boiling water from the kettle. Leave to soak for 20 minutes.
Make the filling by placing the butter in the casserole and heating until foaming.
Add the lardons and shallots and sauté on a moderate heat until the lardons are golden brown and the shallots are transparent.
Add the garlic and thyme and continue to sauté for a few minutes.
Drain the porcini mushrooms and add to the casserole along with the button mushrooms and stir in thoroughly.
Turn up the heat and add the Madeira, stirring to scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute and then stir in a few ladlesful of the stock.
Simmer gently, stirring until everything is combined and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Season with salt and pepper and stir in the pigeon meat.
Place the pie funnel at the centre of the pie dish and then pour in the filling. Set aside to cool.
To make the pastry sift the flour and salt into the large mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into very small chunks, add them to the bowl and stir them in.
Add the cold water and bring together to a wet dough with a lumpy consistency.
Cover with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Place the dough on a floured work surface and shape into a rectangular block.
Roll the dough to a rectangle three times longer than it is short, keeping the edges straight and even.
The rolled-out pastry should have a marbled effect from the lumps of butter.
Fold the top third down to the centre, then the bottom third up and over that.
Give it a quarter turn and roll out again to the original sized rectangle.
Repeat the folding, turning and rolling out 3 more times or until the marbling effect has disappeared. Fold once more and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Remove the pastry from the fridge and cut off a piece big enough to roll into a long thin strip.
Brush the edge of the pie dish with beaten egg and press the strip of pastry firmly around the edge of the pie dish.
Roll the rest of the dough out to a shape 1cm wider than the top of the pie dish. Dampen the edge of the pastry strip and place the pastry lid on top, pressing well to seal the edges by crimping.
Use any remaining pastry to make decorations for the top of the pie, sticking them on with beaten egg. Make a hole in the centre of the pie and press down over the funnel so the funnel peeps through. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
Place in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately with seasonal leafy greens.
