So, did a tasty pie tonight. Thought I'd share 
Homemade shortcrust pastry (if you can't be bothered, then buy it ready made):
250g sifted flour, 110g butter, pinch of salt, splash of water.
Grate the butter with a cheese grater and quickly (hot hands spoil the pastry, so fast as you can) rub the flour in. Use tips of fingers to rub it all together. Continue until lumps of butter are gone and there's a breadcrumb-like texture. Add just enough water to bind it all - this really isn't much at all (3 tbsp?). Mix whilst your adding the water and stop as soon as you have a ball that holds together. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 15 mins.
This is 100x easier and 1000x faster with a food processor to grate the butter and mix in the flour, if you've got a the necessary attachments.
Pie contents (feeds 3-4):
1 chicken breast cut into chunks, 8 rashers smoked back bacon cut fairly large, 4-5 rough chopped shallots, 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped, some leeks (depends on the size, so however many you feel like), lots of interesting mushrooms.
Gentle fry it all (minus the mushrooms to start with) together. Add the mushrooms when the meat is done. At the same time, make a sauce. I did a white sauce with this - either cheat with cornflour or make a roux - your preference. Season sauce with chicken stock cube, bit of veg stock powder, salt, pepper, paprika, mixed herbs + whatever.
Stick the sauce in the frying pan and cook for a few mins while you line a pie tin / pyrex dish in my case. Use a touch of olive oil to rub over the sides before putting in the pastry. Cut the dough into a 2/3 and 1/3. The 2/3 is for the base and sides, so roll that out first with a floured worksurface (aim to be about a pound coin thickness). Rolling pin is not essential here - a wine bottle will substitute for those without
. Fit the pastry into the dish, cut out the excess folds from the sides with a knife and use fingers to seal up again. Roll out the 1/3 for the top to the same thickness and make some pretty shapes for the top (see my gf's effort for inspiration ...). Stick in the filling and tap it down to get rid of the air. Stick on the top, stab some holes in it to allow the steam out, and brush over some beaten egg.
Cook for about 40mins @ 200C. Mmm, pie.
Homemade shortcrust pastry (if you can't be bothered, then buy it ready made):
250g sifted flour, 110g butter, pinch of salt, splash of water.
Grate the butter with a cheese grater and quickly (hot hands spoil the pastry, so fast as you can) rub the flour in. Use tips of fingers to rub it all together. Continue until lumps of butter are gone and there's a breadcrumb-like texture. Add just enough water to bind it all - this really isn't much at all (3 tbsp?). Mix whilst your adding the water and stop as soon as you have a ball that holds together. Wrap in cling film and rest in the fridge for 15 mins.
This is 100x easier and 1000x faster with a food processor to grate the butter and mix in the flour, if you've got a the necessary attachments.
Pie contents (feeds 3-4):
1 chicken breast cut into chunks, 8 rashers smoked back bacon cut fairly large, 4-5 rough chopped shallots, 2-3 cloves of garlic finely chopped, some leeks (depends on the size, so however many you feel like), lots of interesting mushrooms.
Gentle fry it all (minus the mushrooms to start with) together. Add the mushrooms when the meat is done. At the same time, make a sauce. I did a white sauce with this - either cheat with cornflour or make a roux - your preference. Season sauce with chicken stock cube, bit of veg stock powder, salt, pepper, paprika, mixed herbs + whatever.
Stick the sauce in the frying pan and cook for a few mins while you line a pie tin / pyrex dish in my case. Use a touch of olive oil to rub over the sides before putting in the pastry. Cut the dough into a 2/3 and 1/3. The 2/3 is for the base and sides, so roll that out first with a floured worksurface (aim to be about a pound coin thickness). Rolling pin is not essential here - a wine bottle will substitute for those without
. Fit the pastry into the dish, cut out the excess folds from the sides with a knife and use fingers to seal up again. Roll out the 1/3 for the top to the same thickness and make some pretty shapes for the top (see my gf's effort for inspiration ...). Stick in the filling and tap it down to get rid of the air. Stick on the top, stab some holes in it to allow the steam out, and brush over some beaten egg.Cook for about 40mins @ 200C. Mmm, pie.
Last edited:
Needs sides then 
It's fully encased.