Crisp, golden and downright irresistible: Pies are the ultimate comfort food, no matter the season. With an easy hot water pastry, delicate layers of puff pastry and a classic crumbly shortcrust, we’re baking our way to pie perfection.  

Pepper steak & Guinness pie

Serves 8 

This pie is pure winter magic, with a rich, toasted dark malt flavour. Replace the beer with beef stock for an alcohol-free version.  

Ingredients

For the pie filling  

2 Tbsp oil 
2 onions, chopped 
2 celery stalks, chopped 
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
⅔ cup tomato paste 
2 tsp ground cumin 
2 tsp ground coriander 
2 tsp smoked paprika 
1kg beef goulash
2 Tbsp milled black pepper
10 sprigs thyme, picked 
2 cups Guinness or stout beer of choice 
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 can (400g) tomato puree
½ Tbsp brown sugar Salt  

For the pastry 

1 cup (250g) butter, cubed
1¼ cups (310ml) water 
4 cups (600g) flour 
1 tsp (5ml) salt flakes 
Handful parsley, chopped 
2 tsp (10ml) cumin seeds, toasted 
1 egg, beaten 
Creamy mash, to serve  

Method

1. For the filling, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onions, celery, garlic and carrots for about 5-8 minutes. 
2. Add tomato paste and spices. Fry for another minute. 
3. Add beef, black pepper and thyme. Brown for 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add beer, Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree and sugar. Season. 
5. Lower the temperature and cook for about 2 hours. 
6. For the pastry, combine the butter and water in a pot and bring to a boil. 
7. Combine flour, salt, parsley and cumin seeds in a bowl. 
8. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture. Combine with a wooden spoon to create a dough. 
9. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 3 minutes or until smooth. 
10. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spray a 25x35cm pie dish with non-stick spray. 11. Roll the pastry out to about 2-3mm thick. Chill until firm. 
11. To assemble, spoon the pie filling into the prepared dish. 
12. Cover the filling with pastry. Use any pastry off-cuts to decorate the pie. Brush the pastry with egg wash. 
13. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until pastry is golden and crisp.
14. Serve the pie with mash.

Good to know 
What is hot water pastry, exactly? This firm, versatile dough is traditionally used for savoury pastries and raised pies, which are strong enough to stand up without the support of a tin. It’s made by melting fat (butter or lard) in boiling water and combining it with flour to make a dough that is easy to handle and keeps its shape. 

Mushroom, potato & spinach pies  

Makes 6  

Perfect as is or served with salad or roasted veg to make the meal stretch further. 

Ingredients

2 potatoes, peeled and quartered 
1 Tbsp olive oil 
1 onion, finely chopped 
3 cloves garlic, finely grated
180g mixed mushrooms, sliced 
50g baby spinach 
3 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
¼ cup sour cream 
Handful parsley, chopped 
400g short crust pastry, defrosted 
1 egg, beaten 
Salt and milled pepper  

Method

1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Use a fork to mash some of the potatoes, leaving some pieces whole. 
2. Heat the oil and fry the onion for about 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for another 5 minutes. 
4. Turn off the heat. Stir in the baby spinach, mustard, sour cream and parsley. Season. 
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. 6. Cut 6x15cm rounds from the short crust pastry. Brush with egg wash. 
6. Place the filling on half of the pastry rounds, leaving a 1cm border clean. Fold pastry over, encasing the filling. 
7. Seal the pastry by crimping the edges. Fold the edge and press down at increments, 1cm apart. 
8. Place the pies on a baking tray. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with salt.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. 

Butter chicken pot pies  

Serves 3-4  

Pie-making at home cannot get easier than this! Your favourite curry, now with a golden, flaky crown. 

Ingredients

4 chicken breast fillets 
1 Tbsp oil 
Salt and milled pepper 
400g butter chicken cook-in sauce 
2 (250g each) ready-rolled puff pastry sheets, defrosted 
1 egg, beaten 
Coriander, to serve 
Cooked basmati rice, to serve  

Method

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size cubes. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the chicken for about 5 minutes. Season. 
3. Add the butter chicken cook-in sauce and simmer for another 10 minutes. 
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
5. Using a cookie cutter, cut the pastry into desired shapes of about 4-5cm in size. Chill. 
6. To assemble, divide the filling between 3-4 individual pie dishes. 
7. Top with pastry and brush with egg wash. 
8. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. Garnish with coriander and enjoy with basmati rice. 

Good to know
Working with puff pastry can be a finicky thing, but there are some basic tricks to it. Avoid overworking it, as doing so can cause the layers to compress, which reduces flakiness. Use a sharp knife to avoid squeezing the layers of puff pastry together. If making a pie base, prevent sogginess by blind baking it first or use a small amount of breadcrumbs or semolina to absorb moisture.  

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine 

The post Flaky and fabulous  appeared first on MyKitchen.

From tiny tea-time bites to hearty stewed fruit pies, pastry class is in session!

5 types of pastry

1. Puff pastry

A distinctively flaky pastry that puffs up when baked, suitable for savoury and sweet bakes. This pastry is made by laminating layers of butter between a flour-water mixture. Once in the oven, the butter melts and creates steam, causing the pastry to rise and leaving distinctive layers of pastry. 

2. Shortcrust pastry  

This is a sandy or crumbly textured pastry that is created by rubbing butter into double the amount of flour, then adding a little bit of water. This makes it perfect for quiches, galettes and pies. It can also be turned into a sweet pastry with the addition of sugar and egg, making it suitable for fruity pies and tartlets.   

3. Flaky pastry  

This is a cheat’s version of puff pastry for the home cook, also called “rough puff”. While it uses the same ratio of fat to flour that results in a flaky texture, the method of blitzing ingredients together, instead of folding, creates uneven layers and flakes.  

4. Choux pastry  

This pastry resembles a thick batter before baking. Made of water, flour, butter and eggs, this pastry contains a high ratio of liquid. It is this liquid that turns into steam and causes the pastry to rise during baking. The result is a pastry shell with a cavity that requires filling.  

5. Phyllo pastry  

An extremely thin dough that is layered before baking. This tissue-thin, almost translucent pastry is popular in Greek and Middle Eastern desserts.   

3 golden rules of pastry 

1. Defrost at room temperature 

Plan ahead and defrost pastry on a kitchen counter, away from the sun or stove. Once defrosted, place in the fridge to get an even, cold temperature. Never, ever submerge in warm water or microwave to defrost. 

2. Raw pastry must be ice cold – always 

Pastry is a delicate balance of dry ingredients, fat and water. Keep pastry ice cold to ensure it stays stable, which is essential for rising and keeping fat from seeping out during baking. Work quickly when rolling and shaping, and place in the fridge or freezer between steps to ensure the fat is locked in. 

3. Wash before baking 

To get a golden brown finish, you must always brush pastry all over – get into the nooks and crannies! A whole egg is your best bet, although milk works too. Use egg white to brush tart shells when blind baking to ensure they stay crisp. (Once puff pastry is cut, only brush on the top as egg washing over exposed layers can prevent rising.) 

Recipes and Styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Making rough pastry from scratch 

The post 3 golden rules of pastry  appeared first on MyKitchen.

From hearty savoury pies to decadent sweet eclair, we turn to pastries as our go-tos for any culinary occasion. Here are four different pastries and some delicious ways we use them!

Puff pastry 

Dependable and always ready to transform into something delicious and comforting – puff pastry is the go-to for every kitchen. Like its name implies, this pastry is delicate, and its light buttery layers puff up in the oven when baking. Puff pastry is the hero in anything from tasty chicken puffs to decadent sweet treats like these yummy custard slices. 

Phyllo pastry 

Like puff pastry, phyllo pastry consists of layers of paper-thin, flaky pastry sheets. When using the pastry, brush each layer with butter or oil – that way it will become crisp when baking. This delicious pastry is commonly used for the classic Greek dessert baklava, and perfect for savoury dishes like this tasty veggie phyllo bake.  

@thegoodstuffctv When working with phyllo sheets, the trick is to work quickly! @Mary Berg shares her tips on how to layer this dough like a pro! #PhylloDesserts #MaryBerg #Cheftips ♬ original sound – The Good Stuff with Mary Berg

Shortcrust pastry 

This French-style dough has a biscuit-like consistency. The ‘half-fat-to-flour’ ratio of the pastry makes it non-elastic and allows it to break apart more easily. This crumby pastry is used in savoury dishes like this homely beef and leek pie with a black pepper shortcrust pastry crust and is great to make something sweet when the craving creeps in. These heavenly cranberry and white chocolate shortbread treats really hit the spot.  

 

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There are few things more delicious than that melt-in-your-mouth pastry – and choux pastry is the most delicious (and most sophisticated) of them all. When baked, choux, often used for cream-filled pastries, steams in the oven and rises to create feather-light buns with a crispy crust that is hollow in the centre. Nothing beats the taste of a chocolate-covered choux bun filled to bursting with decadent caramel cream when you bite into these decadent eclairs. 

Also read: The guide to perfect eclairs

Photography: Shutterstock

The post Different pastries and how to use them appeared first on MyKitchen.

What were winters made for if not loads of pastry and pie? Practice your shortcrust skills with this delicious beef and leek pie.

SERVES 6–8 // COOKING TIME 2 hours 10 min

INGREDIENTS
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
290 g butter, cubed
4 cups flour
2 tsp cracked black pepper
¾ cup cold water
1 egg, whisked
For the beef and leek pie filling
2 tbsp butter, for frying
1 garlic clove, crushed
5 leeks, finely chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cardamom
500 g beef chuck, cubed
400 g tin chopped tomatoes
2 cups beef stock

METHOD
For the black pepper shortcrust pastry
1. Use your fingers to rub the butter, flour and black pepper together until the mixture forms fine crumbs.
2. Add the water and bring together until a dough forms.
3. Lightly knead into a ball. (Do not overwork, or it will lose its ‘shortness’.) Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a square pie tin or casserole dish.
5. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 5 mm thick.
6. Cut the dough in half. Press one half into the bottom of the pie tin. Roll the leftover dough into a ball and refrigerate. Blindbake the shell for 5 minutes.
For the beef and leek pie filling
1. Fry garlic and leeks for 5 minutes. Add the spices, then the beef, tomatoes and stock.
2. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, until beef is tender. Pull beef apart and mix with 2 tsp flour.
3. Roll out the remaining dough. Spoon the filling into the pastry shell and top with the dough. Crimp the edges with a fork.
4. Brush with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

Wondering what else you can make with your extra leeks? This savoury leek bread and butter pudding is scrumptious!

The post Beef and leek pie with a black pepper shortcrust pastry crust appeared first on MyKitchen.

Fruit tarts always make for a tasty delight, and this rustic fig and caramel tart is no exception. Enjoy a bite with a hot cup of tea or coffee for the perfect pairing.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
8 ripe figs, torn in half
1 roll shortcrust pastry
¼ cup tinned caramel
¼ cup flaked almonds, toasted

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the sugar and flour in a bowl. Add figs and toss to coat.
3. Roll out the pastry to 3 mm thick. Form a rough circle, about 30 cm in diameter.
4. Mark another circle in the middle of the pastry, about 18 cm in diameter, where the tart will fold up. Spread the caramel here and place the figs on top.
5. Fold up the pastry, pinching together if necessary.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, or until pastry is golden and figs tender. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve.

The post Rustic fig and caramel tart appeared first on MyKitchen.