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Introduction

British pie week is celebrated every year between the 4th of march to the 10th of march and this holiday encourages people to eat, bake and learn recipes and variations of pie. Read on to find out more...

History

It is said that the ancient Egyptians first created the invention of pies. When the Roman Empire was thriving, the crust of pie was used to carry meat and fish as it kept the meat moist, preserved the juices and enhanced the flavor in the process.

In 2007, Jus-Rol created a campaign to inspire others around Britain to bake and create delicious pies. They decided to take over this holiday and bake hundreds of pies and share recipes online with their followers and each year, they hold their own competitions and rank pies based off of their tastes and construction.

The winner of 2019 British pie week contest was Tracey Carty for her chicken balmoral pie as there was a flavorsome combination of ingredients and textures.

Recipes

We have put together recipes for the top 3 most popular pies in the uk:

Steak and Ale Pie by The Hairy Bikers

Ingredients:

• 900g stewing steak, diced

• 25g flour, plus extra for dusting

• 100g butter

• 2 onions roughly chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

• 150g button mushrooms

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 400ml good-quality ale

• 500ml beef stock

• Salt and pepper

• 1 egg, beaten for glazing

• 300g ready-made rolled puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas Mark 7.

2. Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour.

3. Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.

4. Add the vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hr. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.

5. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.

6. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.

steak-ale-pie-020322.png

Meat and potato pie recipe by Paul Hollywood

Ingredients:

For the suet crust

• 375g self-raising flour

• 175g shredded beef suet

• About 250ml very cold water

For the filling

• 2 large onions, chopped

• 700g chuck steak (braising steak), cut into 4-5cm chunks

• 400g waxy potatoes, such as Estima or Maris Peer, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks

• 400g floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into 4cm chuncks

• Salt and pepper

Equipment

• 1.2 litre pie dish

Method

1. First make the filling. Put the onions and steak in a large pan. Add enough water to just cover them and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 1½ hours.

2. Add the potatoes to the pan, along with some salt and pepper, and cook for a further 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. The gravy should be nicely thickened by the potatoes. Check the seasoning.

3. Pour off 300-600ml of liquid from the pan – enough to leave the filling nicely moist but not swimming in liquid – and save this to serve as gravy with the pie. Transfer the filling to a 1.2 litre pie dish and leave to cool completely.

4. Heat your oven to 200°C/gas6.

5. To make the suet pastry, combine the flour and suet in a large bowl with some salt and pepper. Add most of the water and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough with one hand, adding more water as needed. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to around 7-8mm thickness. Cut a 2cm wide strip of pastry. Dampen the rim of the pie dish with water. Stick the pastry strip onto the rim and dampen this too. Lay the sheet of pastry on top. Press down the edges to seal and crimp or flute them, trimming off excess pastry.

7. Bake the pie for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

steak-potato-pie-020322.png

Cottage Pie by Mary Berry

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil

• 900g/2lb beef mince

• 2 onions, chopped

• 4 sticks celery, diced

• 50g/1¾oz plain flour

• 250ml/9fl oz red wine

• 300ml/½ pint beef stock

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar

• 1 tbsp chopped thyme

• 250g/9oz small brown chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• dash of gravy browning (optional)

• salt and pepper

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz King Edward potatoes, peeled and sliced into 4mm slices

• 150ml/5fl oz double cream

• 100g/3½oz strong cheddar, grated

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a hot frying pan and add the beef. Stir over a high heat until golden-brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mince from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and celery to the pan and fry until beginning to soften. Return the beef to the pan.

2. Whisk the flour and wine together in a bowl to make a smooth paste, whisk in the stock and then add it to the pan with the Worcestershire sauce, sugar and thyme. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, then add the mushrooms and gravy browning if liked. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the mince is tender. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

3. Cook the potato slices in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes - the potatoes need to be soft. Drain carefully into a colander and leave to cool a little. If the potatoes are too hard they will be waxy and the cream will run off them.

4. Tip the cooked meat into a 2.4 litre/4 pint ovenproof shallow dish. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (200C fan).

5. Arrange a layer of the blanched potato on top of the mince and pour over half of the cream. Arrange the remaining potato on top, seasoning between the layers. Pour over the remaining cream and sprinkle over the cheese.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling.

cottage-pie-020322.png

Facts about British Pie Week

• It is said that the ancient Egyptians first created pies and filled them with oats, wheat and even honey.

• During the Middle Ages, the pastry part of the pie was not considered edible and was known as a coffyn and was used to cook meat and fish.

• According to Express, the world record for eating apple pies is 4.375 three pound pies in eight minutes, set by the worlds leading competitive eater Joey Chestnut in 2013.

• In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell banned pies due to ‘a sign of gluttony’.

• Approximately, 186 million pies are sold in supermarkets alone in one year.

• The most expensive pie is worth $9,500! The prime ingredients include two cuts of premium beef, two whole rock lobsters, rare winter black truffles, two bottles of penfolds grange reserve and pastry with a 24 karat German gold leaf.

What kind of pie are you creating? Tag us on our social media as we would love to see your pictures, recipes and ideas!

Introduction

British pie week is celebrated every year between the 4th of march to the 10th of march and this holiday encourages people to eat, bake and learn recipes and variations of pie. Read on to find out more...

History

It is said that the ancient Egyptians first created the invention of pies. When the Roman Empire was thriving, the crust of pie was used to carry meat and fish as it kept the meat moist, preserved the juices and enhanced the flavor in the process.

In 2007, Jus-Rol created a campaign to inspire others around Britain to bake and create delicious pies. They decided to take over this holiday and bake hundreds of pies and share recipes online with their followers and each year, they hold their own competitions and rank pies based off of their tastes and construction.

The winner of 2019 British pie week contest was Tracey Carty for her chicken balmoral pie as there was a flavorsome combination of ingredients and textures.

Recipes

We have put together recipes for the top 3 most popular pies in the uk:

Steak and Ale Pie by The Hairy Bikers

Ingredients:

• 900g stewing steak, diced

• 25g flour, plus extra for dusting

• 100g butter

• 2 onions roughly chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

• 2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

• 150g button mushrooms

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

• 400ml good-quality ale

• 500ml beef stock

• Salt and pepper

• 1 egg, beaten for glazing

• 300g ready-made rolled puff pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/428°F/Gas Mark 7.

2. Pour flour into a bowl and season well. Coat the meat with the seasoned flour.

3. Heat half the butter in a heated pan and add the meat. Sear all over until golden brown.

4. Add the vegetables, herbs, ale and stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 1 hr. When cooked, season, add the remaining butter and pour into an ovenproof serving dish.

5. Brush the edge of the dish with the beaten egg. Roll out the pastry using as little flour as possible and place over the dish. Pinch the edges of the dish so that the pastry will stick to it and trim off any remaining pieces of pastry from around the edge. Brush the pastry top thoroughly with the remaining beaten egg and place on a baking tray.

6. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the pastry is golden brown on top.

steak-ale-pie-020322.png

Meat and potato pie recipe by Paul Hollywood

Ingredients:

For the suet crust

• 375g self-raising flour

• 175g shredded beef suet

• About 250ml very cold water

For the filling

• 2 large onions, chopped

• 700g chuck steak (braising steak), cut into 4-5cm chunks

• 400g waxy potatoes, such as Estima or Maris Peer, peeled and cut into 4cm chunks

• 400g floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into 4cm chuncks

• Salt and pepper

Equipment

• 1.2 litre pie dish

Method

1. First make the filling. Put the onions and steak in a large pan. Add enough water to just cover them and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer very gently for 1½ hours.

2. Add the potatoes to the pan, along with some salt and pepper, and cook for a further 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. The gravy should be nicely thickened by the potatoes. Check the seasoning.

3. Pour off 300-600ml of liquid from the pan – enough to leave the filling nicely moist but not swimming in liquid – and save this to serve as gravy with the pie. Transfer the filling to a 1.2 litre pie dish and leave to cool completely.

4. Heat your oven to 200°C/gas6.

5. To make the suet pastry, combine the flour and suet in a large bowl with some salt and pepper. Add most of the water and mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough with one hand, adding more water as needed. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to around 7-8mm thickness. Cut a 2cm wide strip of pastry. Dampen the rim of the pie dish with water. Stick the pastry strip onto the rim and dampen this too. Lay the sheet of pastry on top. Press down the edges to seal and crimp or flute them, trimming off excess pastry.

7. Bake the pie for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to stand for 10-15 minutes before serving.

steak-potato-pie-020322.png

Cottage Pie by Mary Berry

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil

• 900g/2lb beef mince

• 2 onions, chopped

• 4 sticks celery, diced

• 50g/1¾oz plain flour

• 250ml/9fl oz red wine

• 300ml/½ pint beef stock

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 2 tbsp light muscovado sugar

• 1 tbsp chopped thyme

• 250g/9oz small brown chestnut mushrooms, sliced

• dash of gravy browning (optional)

• salt and pepper

• 1.5kg/3lb 5oz King Edward potatoes, peeled and sliced into 4mm slices

• 150ml/5fl oz double cream

• 100g/3½oz strong cheddar, grated

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a hot frying pan and add the beef. Stir over a high heat until golden-brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mince from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and celery to the pan and fry until beginning to soften. Return the beef to the pan.

2. Whisk the flour and wine together in a bowl to make a smooth paste, whisk in the stock and then add it to the pan with the Worcestershire sauce, sugar and thyme. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened, then add the mushrooms and gravy browning if liked. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the mince is tender. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

3. Cook the potato slices in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes - the potatoes need to be soft. Drain carefully into a colander and leave to cool a little. If the potatoes are too hard they will be waxy and the cream will run off them.

4. Tip the cooked meat into a 2.4 litre/4 pint ovenproof shallow dish. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 (200C fan).

5. Arrange a layer of the blanched potato on top of the mince and pour over half of the cream. Arrange the remaining potato on top, seasoning between the layers. Pour over the remaining cream and sprinkle over the cheese.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling.

cottage-pie-020322.png

Facts about British Pie Week

• It is said that the ancient Egyptians first created pies and filled them with oats, wheat and even honey.

• During the Middle Ages, the pastry part of the pie was not considered edible and was known as a coffyn and was used to cook meat and fish.

• According to Express, the world record for eating apple pies is 4.375 three pound pies in eight minutes, set by the worlds leading competitive eater Joey Chestnut in 2013.

• In the 17th century, Oliver Cromwell banned pies due to ‘a sign of gluttony’.

• Approximately, 186 million pies are sold in supermarkets alone in one year.

• The most expensive pie is worth $9,500! The prime ingredients include two cuts of premium beef, two whole rock lobsters, rare winter black truffles, two bottles of penfolds grange reserve and pastry with a 24 karat German gold leaf.

What kind of pie are you creating? Tag us on our social media as we would love to see your pictures, recipes and ideas!


Comments

Lockhart Catering on 10 March 2022 2:00 AM

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