Contents
First published in the UK in 2013 by: Jacqui Small LLP An imprint of Aurum Press 74–77 White Lion Street London N1 9PF First published by Penguin Group (NZ), 2012 Copyright © Dean Brettschneider, 2012 Copyright photography © Aaron McLean, 2012 The right of Dean Brettschneider to be identified as the author of this work in terms of section 96 of the Copyright Act 1994 is hereby asserted. Designed and typeset by Anna Egan-Reid, © Penguin Group (NZ) Prepress by Image Centre Ltd All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. ISBN 978 1 909342 18 7 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 2015 2014 2013 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China by 1010 Printing
Introduction 7 The History of the Humble Pie 10 Ingredients 18 Equipment 24
Meat Pies
34
Seafood Pies
72
Vegetarian Pies
84
Not-quite-a-pie
100
Sweet Pies
128
Basic Recipes 188 Acknowledgements 218 Index 220
Contents
First published in the UK in 2013 by: Jacqui Small LLP An imprint of Aurum Press 74–77 White Lion Street London N1 9PF First published by Penguin Group (NZ), 2012 Copyright © Dean Brettschneider, 2012 Copyright photography © Aaron McLean, 2012 The right of Dean Brettschneider to be identified as the author of this work in terms of section 96 of the Copyright Act 1994 is hereby asserted. Designed and typeset by Anna Egan-Reid, © Penguin Group (NZ) Prepress by Image Centre Ltd All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. ISBN 978 1 909342 18 7 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 2015 2014 2013 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China by 1010 Printing
Introduction 7 The History of the Humble Pie 10 Ingredients 18 Equipment 24
Meat Pies
34
Seafood Pies
72
Vegetarian Pies
84
Not-quite-a-pie
100
Sweet Pies
128
Basic Recipes 188 Acknowledgements 218 Index 220
94
v egetarian pies
v egetarian pies
95
Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie This is almost a potato gratin in a pie, comprising layers of gooey leek, potato slices and Cheddar cheese. Take your time to create the layers, bake well and serve warm with a crisp salad on a lovely spring day. makes a 22cm pie, serving 6 people Pastry 1 quantity of Toasted Walnut Short Pastry (see page 198) Filling 4 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter 4 large leeks, cleaned, halved lengthways and chopped into large pieces salt and pepper, to taste 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 350ml soured cream 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 180g vintage Cheddar, grated 1 bunch chives, finely chopped 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Make Toasted Walnut Short Pastry ahead and rest it as required. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to approximately 3mm thick to line a 22cm spring-form cake tin (5.5cm deep). Lightly oil the tin, then line with pastry, trimming it 2cm from the top of the tin. Place into the refrigerator to chill. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil, add the sliced potatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften. Drain well and set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped leek, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the leeks and garlic to cool slightly (15 minutes). Mix together in a large bowl the soured cream, eggs, mustard, most of the Cheddar (reserving about 4 tablespoons for the top), the chives, parsley and a good pinch of salt. Stir in the cooled leeks and garlic. Remove the pastry-lined tin from the refrigerator. Cover the base of the pie with a single layer of well-drained potato, then spoon the creamy leek mixture over the potato, repeating until both the potato and leek mixture is used up, with the last layer being the potato. Place the pie into a preheated 190°C oven (gas mark 5) and bake for 40–45 minutes. Scatter the remaining Cheddar over the top and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes until it has turned golden in colour. The filling should still be gooey, but hold its shape when cut into wedges.
94
v egetarian pies
v egetarian pies
95
Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie This is almost a potato gratin in a pie, comprising layers of gooey leek, potato slices and Cheddar cheese. Take your time to create the layers, bake well and serve warm with a crisp salad on a lovely spring day. makes a 22cm pie, serving 6 people Pastry 1 quantity of Toasted Walnut Short Pastry (see page 198) Filling 4 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp butter 4 large leeks, cleaned, halved lengthways and chopped into large pieces salt and pepper, to taste 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 350ml soured cream 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 180g vintage Cheddar, grated 1 bunch chives, finely chopped 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Make Toasted Walnut Short Pastry ahead and rest it as required. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to approximately 3mm thick to line a 22cm spring-form cake tin (5.5cm deep). Lightly oil the tin, then line with pastry, trimming it 2cm from the top of the tin. Place into the refrigerator to chill. Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil, add the sliced potatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften. Drain well and set aside. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped leek, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the leeks and garlic to cool slightly (15 minutes). Mix together in a large bowl the soured cream, eggs, mustard, most of the Cheddar (reserving about 4 tablespoons for the top), the chives, parsley and a good pinch of salt. Stir in the cooled leeks and garlic. Remove the pastry-lined tin from the refrigerator. Cover the base of the pie with a single layer of well-drained potato, then spoon the creamy leek mixture over the potato, repeating until both the potato and leek mixture is used up, with the last layer being the potato. Place the pie into a preheated 190°C oven (gas mark 5) and bake for 40–45 minutes. Scatter the remaining Cheddar over the top and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes until it has turned golden in colour. The filling should still be gooey, but hold its shape when cut into wedges.
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basic recipes 193
basic recipes
Points to Consider when Processing Sweet and Short Pastry
• Do not over-mix the dough as this will toughen the gluten strands, causing toughness and shrinkage in the pastry. • Avoid excessive handling of the pastry as your hands will warm it up too much and make it too soft to work.
Storage of Sweet and Short Pastry
Baking Guidelines
Unbaked sweet and short pastry can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, unfilled or filled. It is advisable to thaw sweet or short pastry in the refrigerator overnight, then let it stand at room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before using.
This chart is a general guide to baking sweet and short pastry. All times and temperatures are guides only and will vary from oven to oven.
• Work in a cool environment to prevent the dough becoming too soft to handle.
Distorted shape
Dense texture
CAUSES Pastry breaking, too short Brown spot on the crust Filling spilling out during baking
Temperature
Time (Variable)
Unfilled sweet pastry
180–190°C (gas mark 4–5)
18–20 minutes
Filled sweet pastry
180–190°C (gas mark 4–5)
20–25 minutes
Unfilled short pastry
200–220°C (gas mark 6–7)
18–20 minutes
Filled short pastry
215–220°C (gas mark 7)
20–25 minutes
Reheating sweet and short pastry products
180–190°C (gas mark 4–5)
15–25 minutes
Cooling
Baked sweet or short pastry should be cooled on a cooling rack to prevent sweating. Pies should be allowed to cool slightly before being removed from their tins, which will stop the pie collapsing and becoming soggy on the bottom.
Dark in colour Lack of colour
Too much filling
Under-mixed
Over-mixed
Shrinkage
Too much fat used
Oven temp too low
Oven temp too high
Too much egg/liquid used
Too much sugar
Too little egg/liquid used
Too much aeration
Too strong flour used
Tough pastry
FAULTS
Not rested before baking
Not enough fat, egg, sugar
Faults in Sweet and Short Pastry
Product
Basic Sweet Pastry 170g butter, softened 85g caster sugar 1 small egg 4 drops vanilla extract zest of ½ lemon 260g standard plain flour
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until a light creamy consistency has been achieved. Add egg, vanilla and lemon zest and mix until combined. Add flour and mix to a paste just until paste comes clean off the bowl. Be careful not to over-mix or the pastry will become too elastic and doughy. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or, even better, overnight. Before using, gently re-work pastry, taking care to ensure it remains cold and firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry into a sheet about 3mm thick or as stated in your recipe.
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basic recipes 199
basic recipes
Black Sesame Seed Short Pastry
Toasted Walnut Short Pastry
160g standard plain flour 2 tbsp black sesame seeds 120g butter good pinch of salt 50ml cold water
50g walnuts, shelled 160g standard plain flour 1 tbsp caster sugar 120g butter good pinch of salt 50ml cold water
Place flour, black sesame seeds, butter and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, gently rub ingredients together until they resemble rough breadcrumbs. Do not over-mix otherwise butter will begin to melt from the heat of your fingers. Add water and mix until a dough is formed. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Gently re-work pastry before using, taking care to ensure it remains cold and firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry as stated in your recipe.
Preheat oven to 170°C (gas mark 3). Place walnuts on an oven tray and lightly toast in preheated oven until light amber in colour. Finely chop walnuts (1–2mm in size) and set aside. Place flour, sugar, toasted walnuts, butter and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, gently rub ingredients together until they resemble rough breadcrumbs. Do not over-mix otherwise butter will begin to melt from the heat of your fingers. Add water and mix until a dough is formed. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Gently re-work pastry before using, taking care to ensure it remains cold and firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry as stated in your recipe.
Chilli Polenta Pie Crust
Fennel Pastry
250g standard plain flour 50g coarse polenta 225g butter, cold and 1cm diced 1 tbsp red chilli, deseeded and chopped as finely as you can good pinch of salt 1 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp fennel seeds 160g standard plain flour 120g butter good pinch of salt 50ml cold water
Place flour, polenta, butter, chilli and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, gently rub ingredients together until they resemble rough breadcrumbs. Do not over-mix otherwise butter will begin to melt from the heat of your fingers. Add water and mix until a dough is formed. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Gently re-work pastry before using, taking care to ensure it remains cold and firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry as stated in your recipe.
Place fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar and grind to a rough powder, ensuring that it’s not too fine. Set aside. Place flour, fennel seeds, butter and salt into a large mixing bowl. Using your fingertips, gently rub ingredients together until they resemble rough breadcrumbs. Do not over-mix otherwise butter will begin to melt from the heat of your fingers. Add water and mix until a dough is formed. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Gently re-work pastry before using, taking care to ensure it remains cold and firm. On a lightly floured surface, roll out pastry as stated in your recipe.