RECIPES: Try these mouth-watering pies by Tom Kitchin

By Tom Kitchin

January 7 2018, 7:30 am

Nothing quite beats a home-made pie at this time of year.

After the celebrations and indulgences of Christmas and New Year, there’s something glorious about warming, hearty, classic dishes that still bring the family together at the table.

For me, there’s something incredibly comforting about breaking into a pie straight from the oven and taking that first delicious, crumbling mouthful.

Savoury pies tend to get a bit of a bad reputation here in Scotland but, when cooked from scratch, they can be a wonderful winter treat and they don’t have to be as unhealthy as you may think. A bit like soups, pies can be a brilliant way to combine what you have in the fridge – whether it’s meat, fish or vegetables. Fill them with wonderful winter flavours and you’ll create a hearty and satisfying meal for all the family.

The beauty of cooking a pie is that it can be a really easy cook-ahead dish, and a lot of the preparation can be done before hand.

Arriving home to the smell of a home-made pie is a great joy. For me, they make a great weekend supper. On Sundays when the restaurant is closed, we always try to make the most of time spent as a family and a cosy, comforting pie after a family walk is the perfect thing to come home to.

The other great thing about pies is that once you master the basics, you can try lots of different variations to suit your taste. Filling, pastry type and size – you can create something to suit you.

My new book, Meat & Game, includes a number of pie recipes. In fact if you’re not used to cooking with game and meat a lot, a pie can be an ideal recipe and gives you a chance to try out different cuts and flavour combinations. Visit your local butcher and you can often find a game pie mix which is perfect at this time of year and really easy to add to a warming winter pie.

Chicken Pie

SERVES 4

The ingredients

25g plain flour, plus extra for rolling out
4 skinless free-range chicken breast fillets, chopped
4 skinless free-range chicken thigh fillets, chopped
Olive oil
50g smoked lardons
250g button mushrooms, trimmed, wiped and quartered
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
Half a leek, trimmed, finely sliced and rinsed
1tsp thyme leaves
200ml dry white wine
500ml chicken stock
150ml milk
150ml double cream
1tbsp chopped tarragon
375g puff pastry, thawed if frozen
1 free-range egg yolk, beaten
Seasonal green vegetables, to serve
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

The method

Put the flour in a shallow tray and season with salt and pepper. Dust the chicken pieces with flour, then shake off the excess and set aside.
Heat a large well-seasoned sauté or frying pan with a lid or flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat, then add a splash of oil. When it is hot, add as much chicken as will fit in a single layer without over-crowding the pan and fry them until they are golden brown all over, then set aside on a plate with a rim. Do this in batches, adding extra oil as necessary.
Add the lardons to the pan and sauté until they render their fat and are lightly coloured all over. Add the mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onion, leeks and thyme, and continue sautéing for 3–4 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Add the white wine, stirring to deglaze the pan, and boil until it evaporates. Add the chicken stock, milk and cream, and bring to a simmer, stirring. Reduce the heat to low, return the chicken pieces and any accumulated juices to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Leave to simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Stir in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. When the chicken is tender, transfer it and the cream sauce to a two-litre ovenproof dish.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin until it is about 2cm thick. Cut a strip of pastry the same width as the rim of your pie dish. Lightly brush the edge of the dish with egg yolk and fix the strip around it. Brush the top of the pastry strip with egg yolk, then lay over the remaining pastry and press down lightly.
Cut off the excess pastry to trim the edge, then crimp. Use a small knife to cut a steam hole in the centre and insert a foil funnel to let the steam escape during baking. Cut any pastry trimmings into leaves and secure them to the surface with egg yolk and glaze, if you like. Transfer the pie to the fridge to chill for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C/gas mark 7. Glaze the surface of the pie with the remaining beaten egg yolk. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave to rest for five minutes before serving.

Steak And Ale Pie

SERVES 4

This steak and ale pie requires a good quality, craft ale to really make it an outstanding dish.

The ingredients

1kg stewing steak, cut into 2-3cm pieces
Flour for dusting
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil for cooking
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
250g button mushrooms, cleaned
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
Bouquet garni
250ml red wine
500ml craft ale
250g ready-rolled puff pastry
Eggwash (1 egg yolk, beaten with half tsp water and a pinch of salt)
1 tall piece of bone marrow, on the bone

The method

Heat the oven to 150°C/gas 2. Dust the pieces of stewing steak all over with flour and season with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy-based ovenproof sauté pan over a medium-high heat and add a good drizzle of olive oil. Brown the steak in two batches for 4-5 minutes until well caramelised. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Return the pan to the heat and add another drizzle of oil. Add the onion, carrots and mushrooms, lower the heat and sweat gently for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and bouquet garni.
Pour in the red wine and let bubble to reduce by half, then add 500ml of craft ale (I used Yer Ben). Bring back to the boil and then return the steak to the pan. Put a lid on the pan and place in the oven. Cook for three hours or until the steak is tender and the liquor has reduced and thickened.
Raise the oven setting to 180°C/gas 4. Transfer the beef stew to a pie dish, discarding the bouquet garni. Place a piece of bone marrow in the middle of the dish. Roll out the pastry to fit the dish with enough to overhang, then drape over the stew.
Dampen the rim of the dish with water, then lift the pastry over the top of the stew. Press the edges of the pastry onto the rim of the dish and trim away the excess pastry.
Brush the pastry all over with the remaining egg, sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper and bake for around 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, then serve the pie with seasonal vegetables and teaspoons for the bone marrow, for those who want it.

Venison Stalker Pie

SERVES 4-6

Venison stalker pie might be less well known than a classic shepherds’ pie or cottage pie, but it’s an ideal alternative for the winter months. I usually include celeriac and mushrooms to complement the meat, but the real secret ingredient is the Worcestershire sauce. Always use a floury potato for the mash topping to achieve a crispy finish.

The ingredients

Vegetable oil
800g venison mince
80g smoked lardons
200g carrots, peeled and finely chopped
200g celeriac, peeled and finely chopped
200g button or wild mushrooms, trimmed, wiped and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
1tsp ground juniper
1tbsp plain flour
100ml port
100ml full-bodied red wine
300ml game or beef stock, plus extra if needed
1 bouquet garni
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

FOR THE MASH

1kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and chopped
150ml milk
30g butter, plus about an extra 15g melted butter for brushing
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

The method

Heat a large well-seasoned sauté or frying pan with a lid over a high heat, then add a splash of oil. When it is hot, add the venison mince and stir until it is well coloured and to remove any lumps. Transfer it to a colander in the sink and leave to drain.
Wipe out the pan, then return it to the heat with a splash more oil. Add the lardons and sauté until they have rendered their fat and are caramelised. Add the carrots, celeriac, mushrooms, garlic and onion with a pinch of salt, and continue sautéing for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to colour and soften.
Add the ground juniper, sprinkle over the flour and mix well, stirring for one minute to cook out the flour. Add the port and wine, stirring to deglaze the pan and boil until they evaporate. Return the mince to the pan, then add the stock, bouquet garni, Worcestershire sauce to taste and salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and leave to simmer for 40-50 minutes, adding extra stock if necessary, until the mince is very tender.
Meanwhile, make the mash. Place the potatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan with cold water to cover. Season with salt and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Drain the potatoes well, then return them to the pan. Add the milk, butter, nutmeg and salt and pepper, then mash and set aside.
When you’re ready to assemble and cook the pie, preheat the oven to 180˚C fan/200˚C/gas mark 6. Place the mince mixture in an ovenproof serving dish and place on a baking sheet. Pipe or spread the mash over the top and brush with melted butter. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the mash is golden brown and the filling is piping hot.