National Pie Day is celebrated in the US on Monday 23 January. It is is a glorious opportunity to indulge in the one dish that everyone loves – the pie!
Whether it’s a sweet, fruit-filled pie or savoury meat-filled one, no pie should be left out during this annual foodie celebration that pays tribute to the perfect pastry! The talented chefs of Capsicum Culinary Studio shared their favourite pie recipes:
Steak and kidney pie
¦ Ingredients:
– Base
300 g puff pastry
1 egg and 1 extra egg yolk beaten together
– Filling
2 tbsp vegetable oil
700 g braising steak, diced
200 g lamb kidney, diced
2 medium onions, diced
30 g plain flour
850 ml beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash of Worcestershire sauce
¦ Method:
1. Preheat oven to 220ºC.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and brown the beef. Set aside, then brown the kidneys in the same pan.
3. Add the onions and cook for three to four minutes, then return the beef to the pan, sprinkle flour over and coat the meat and onions.
4. Add the stock to the pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Turn the heat right down and simmer for 1½ hours without a lid. If the liquid evaporates, add more stock.
5. When the meat is tender, remove from the heat and add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, then stir and allow to cool completely.
6. Once cooled, place the cooked meat mixture in a pie dish.
7. Roll the pastry out to 5 mm thick and 5 cm larger than the dish you are using. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and place it over the top of the pie dish then trim and crimp the edges.
8. Brush the surface with the beaten egg mixture and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden-brown. Serve immediately.
Chicken and mushroom pie
¦ Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g chicken thigh fillets cut into 3 cm cubes
• 500 g punnet mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 50 g butter
• 35 g plain flour
• 1½ tsp mixed spice
• 500 ml milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
• 1 egg yolk
• salt and pepper, to season
¦ Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add to the pan for five minutes, until browned, then remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the mushrooms, cook until golden then remove and set aside.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Melt the butter in the pan, then stir in the flour and mixed spice. Cook for one minute before gradually whisking in the milk until thickened slightly.
5. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan and season to taste. Cook until sauce thickens (about two minutes) then transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow to cool.
6. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
7. Remove the pastry sheets from the fridge and cut each sheet in half and place one on top of the other. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry out to a 4 mm-thick rectangle that fits the size of a rectangular 1,5F to 2F litre baking dish.
8. Stir the frozen peas through the pie filling mixture to combine, then transfer to the baking dish.
9. Place the pastry over the top to cover, pressing down on the edges with a fork to seal in the filling.
10. Make a small cross-incision in the centre of the pie to allow the steam to escape.
11. Brush the egg yolk over the surface of the pie then bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve immediately.
Apple pie
¦ Ingredients:
• 500 g flaky pastry
• 7 to 8 Granny Smith apples
• 100 g light brown sugar
• 100 g white sugar
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 egg
¦ Method:
1. Heat oven to 200°C.
2. Peel, core and slice apples into thin slices.
3. Place slices into a large bowl and scatter both sugars, salt and spices over the apples and toss, coating the slices as much as possible. Set aside for one hour at room temperature.
4. Roll half of the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface. Check for the correct size by inverting the pie dish over the dough, which should be about 3 cm to 5 cm larger than the dish. Place the dough into the pie dish and trim the overhanging dough to within 20 mm of the edge of the dish and refrigerate.
5. Roll the second half of the pastry out to a similar size, as before, and transfer it to a large parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate.
6. Toss the apples with the corn starch, then transfer them into the prepared bottom crust using your hands to pack them down into the pie. Fill the pie until apples are at the same height as the edge of the pie crust.
7. Pour the juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl over the apples.
8. Cut a tablespoon of butter into eight or so small pieces and dot them over the pie.
9. Place the second pastry round over the filling or cut it into strips and lattice the top. If you are not adding a lattice crust but, adding the top crust in one piece, use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to vent. Trim excess pastry from the top crust or lattice strips and fold the overhang underneath itself, forming a thick rim. Press together or crimp it with your fingers or use a fork.
10. Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water and lightly brush the top crust.
11. Place into oven and bake for 75 minutes, rotating after 35 minutes for even browning.
12. The apple pie will be done when the juices are bubbling through the vents of the top crust or lattice. Cool the pie, without slicing into it, for at least an hour, preferably longer as the filling does not fully thicken until completely cooled. For best results, cool the pie to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge for an hour or two before serving.
Lemon meringue pie
¦ Ingredients:
• 375 g pack sweet shortcrust pastry
• 50 g cornflour
• 175 g castor sugar
• 3 lemons, zested and juiced (you’ll need 100 ml juice)
• 275 ml milk
• 80 g unsalted butter, diced
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 large egg
– Meringue
• 3 large egg whites
• 150 g golden castor sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
¦ Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Dust a work surface with flour, then roll the pastry out large enough to line a 20 cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Leave the excess pastry overhanging and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes until firm.
3. Put the tin onto a baking sheet, line the pastry with baking paper and baking beans (or uncooked rice) and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for a further 15 minutes, or until golden.
4. When cool, trim the edges with a serrated knife.
5. For the filling, combine the cornflour, sugar, lemon zest and juice in a saucepan, and whisk until smooth.
6. Add the milk, then cook over a low heat, whisking all the time, until the mixture thickens and boils. Remove from the heat, whisk in the butter, followed by the yolks and the whole egg. Set aside.
7. For the meringue, add the egg whites to a large, clean bowl and mix with an electric hand whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the sugar one-third at a time until thick and shiny. Whisk in the cornflour until combined.
8. Bring the lemon filling back to the boil and stir until thickened, then pour it into the pastry case and level the surface.
9. Spoon on the meringue, starting at the edge and working it into the middle. Use a palette knife to make a smooth join with the pastry edge, then swirl the top.
10. Bake for 20 minutes until golden. Allow to cool in the tin for at least an hour, then turn out and serve.
