Eye On The Pie

Pie week is going to end soon, it is time to conclude the week with impressive pies that are versatile – they taste great hot, warm or cold, so you can make it well ahead. A hearty pie makes a stunning centre-piece for everyday or entertaining, hence indulge one of these sumptuous pies today. The sweet pies can be your spectacular seasonal dessert or even a spring staple, promising a sweet ending to any meal. While the savoury pies could be your quintessential comforting pie all of which you can make in a flash, here are some super-speedy classic and over-the-top new favourites from the experts.

Cape Gooseberry Pie Recipe*

 
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 55 min. + cooling
MAKES: 8 servings
Ingredients:
* 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup cold butter, cubed
* 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
FILLING:
* 2 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup cornflour
* Dash salt
* 1/3 cup water
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
* 4 cup fresh Cape gooseberries
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 2 tablespoons butter

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough into two portions so that one is slightly larger than the other. Shape each into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
2. For filling, in a large saucepan, whisk sugar, cornflour,  salt, water and, if desired, cinnamon until smooth; add gooseberries.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly.
3. Preheat oven to 400°. Add lemon juice to this mixture. On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate. Add filling; dot with butter.
4. Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; cut into 1/2-in.-wide strips. Arrange over filling in a lattice pattern. Trim and seal strips to edge of bottom pastry; flute edge. Bake 10 minutes.
5. Reduce oven setting to 350°; bake 45-50 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Vegetable & Chicken pie

For Crust
Yield: 2 Crust

Ingredient:
* 3 cup all purpose flour
* 12 table spoon cold unsalted butter
* ½ cup ice cold water
* Salt a pinch
* Sugar a pinch

Method:

1. Dice and keep the butter in the refrigerator.
3. Mean while place flour, salt, sugar in a bowl.
4. Mix well all three ingredients and then add the butter slowly in the bowl.
5. Sprinkle the cold water and start mixing the flour till it begins to form ball.
6. Dump out the entire mixture on a floured board and roll into a ball.
7. Wrap the dough in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Meanwhile take a pie shell and grease it with the butter.
9. Once the dough is set in refrigerator take it out and roll it into a sheet then fit it in the pie shell.
10. Half bake it in preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 15 minutes or till it gets desired color.
11. Repeat same with the top crust also.

Ingredients for the filling:

1. 2 cup chicken mince
2. ½ cup cooking cream
3. ½ cup diced blanched carrot
4. ½ cup blanched green peas
5. ½ cup sliced and sautéed button mushroom
6. ½ cup red pepper cut into thin strips and sautéed
7. ½ cup yellow pepper cut into thin strips and sautéed
8. 2 sprig chopped thyme
9. 1 Sprig chopped rosemary
10. 2 table spoon finely chopped garlic
11. 2 table spoon olive oil
12. 2 cup grated yellow cheddar cheese or any melting cheese of your choice
13. Salt to taste
14. Pepper to taste

Method:

1. Take a pan add olive oil; once the oil is heated add chopped garlic, thyme and rosemary. Sauté well till the entire flavor is infused in the oil.
2. Add chicken mince to it and cook well.
3. Once the chicken is cooked add all the vegetables, cream and mix well in the pan.
4. Take out the mixture in a bowl and let it cool.
5. Add the grated cheddar cheese to the chicken mixture and give a proper stir so that all the ingredients are mixed properly.
6. Place the mixture in the half baked pie shell, cover the pie and egg wash with the beaten egg on the top covering of the pie.
7. Bake the pie in a preheated oven at 200 degree Celsius for 30 minutes or till the crust gets the golden brown color.

Apple Pie with Custard* 

Main Ingredient
Tart, Custard
Ingredients:
* 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup cold butter
* 3 cups sliced peeled tart apples, (about 4 medium)
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
CUSTARD:
* 1 cup evaporated milk
* 1 egg
* 1/2 cup sugar
 
 
Method: 
* In a small bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until crumbly. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-in. pie plate. Arrange apples over the crust. Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375° C for 20 minutes.
* For custard, whisk milk, egg and sugar in another small bowl until smooth; pour over apples. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
* Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.
* Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.

* Yield: 6-8 servings.

Turkey, Cranberry and Parmesan Pie by Rainforest

Ingredients:

1. 150 GM minced turkey meat
2. 1 tbsp dried cranberries
3. 50 GM Parmesan cheese
4. Salt to taste
5. Crushed black peppercorn
6. 5 gm Garlic powder
7. 25 GM carrots
8. 25 GM chopped bell peppers
9. 25 GM Onion 
10. 15 GM leeks
11. 100 GM puff pastry sheet
12. 1 egg lightly beaten
13. 50 GM cheddar cheese
14. 1 tsp celery salt
15. 15 GM Butter

Method:

1. In a Pan heat butter. Then add onion, leeks, and cook till soft.
2. Add carrots , bell peppers and turkey and cook till well done. Now add cranberries, parmesan cheese celery salt, garlic powder and adjust seasoning.
3. Remove from flame and add cheddar cheese and lightly beaten egg. Keep aside.
4. Now roll the puff pastry sheet and add the prepared stuffing in the centre, and bake in the oven at 180 C for 20 mins till the top is nice golden in color.
5. Serve hot with cranberry sauce.

*By Chef Shelly Sahay, Elma’s Bakery
*By Chef Gopi, Goldfinch Hotel Bengaluru