KEY POINTS:
What better than a humble pie? It's the perfect comfort food for cold evenings
A coincidence occurred this morning.
While starting to write about pies, I heard the results of the New Zealand Pie Awards on the radio.
We love pies. We scoff 60 million a year. Someone is always muttering about the fat content, but quality over quantity is all that is needed - who eats them every day anyway?
This year the supreme award was won by a vegetarian pie for the first time in the competition's 11-year history, which is encouraging.
A tasty filling wrapped up in a flaky buttery crust is pretty hard to refuse - the smells, the steam and the instantly warmed hands - and that filling can be pretty much anything.
Indiscernible matter encased in pastry is unacceptable and should be banned. Make way for delicious slow-cooked meats, fragrant fruits and interesting seasonal vegetables.
So once you have your succulent filling, good pastry needs to be made or bought and metal pie tins found.
I am lucky enough to still own pie tins belonging to my grandfather - a baker for many years.
Just remember not to use glass or porcelain - metal transfers the heat best so the pastry is crisper.
Better quality pastry can be found at gourmet foodstores, and vegetarian pastry at most supermarkets.
Bring it out of the fridge 15 minutes before rolling to make the process easier.
Don't forget to egg wash the pastry (resulting in the irresistible golden colour to the crust) and scatter seeds, vanilla sugar, a grind of black pepper before baking.
FLAKY PASTRY
200g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
125g chilled butter
1/3 cup iced water
1 Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Grate the butter over the flour.
2 Using 2 dinner knives quickly cut the butter into the flour. Sprinkle the water over as you go until the mixture forms large clumps.
3 Gather the pastry in your hands and form into a ball. Pieces of butter should be visible. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
CHEF'S TIP
Let fillings cool before spooning into the pastry - this can prevent the pastry base becoming soggy.
