Una is the
queen of pies Cork-based food entrepreneur, Una Martin is continuing to make her mark in the Irish food scene by winning awards and building a growing customer base for her much loved pies. West Fork decided to find out how it all began Una has enjoyed well-earned success since launching her pie brand after returning from Australia. Fortunately for us food lovers, her travels were cut short when a business plan to start a pie company began to brew. “I discovered that pies were huge in Australia. It’s like their fast food” she said. With an obvious gap in the market for an artisan version at home, Una wasted no more time and ƪew home to begin her own business.
certainly seems bright. Una is currently developing her product for a launch into the supermarket sector later this year. “Since winning the awards Una’s Pies has gone from strength to strength. For the past 6 months I have been working on product development for a launch into the retail sector. This has been a challenging time for Una’s Pies, as quality is paramount. Maintaining the highest of standards and increasing production levels ais always challenging.”
Granny Murray inspires Her love of food stems from Una’s grandmother. Maura Murray, a home economics teacher from Ballingeary, has been a huge inƪuence for Una and her pie company. “We have all her old cookbooks and they’re all handwritten in Irish,” says Una. Una remembers her grandmother as being extremely innovative for her generation in terms of what she served her children. “I always remember my mum saying that they were the Ƥrst to have rice and chilli con carne and unusual dishes that, 40 years ago, a lot of people in the village wouldn’t have been eating.” Una’s passion for food and quality ingredients in her own cooking has been highly inƪuenced by her time working in Nash 19, one of Cork’s leading restaurants. “Seeing a kitchen where nothing is frozen, where everything is delivered fresh every single morning and prepped, that’s where I would have probably learned a lot of what I’m using now,”
Una’s pies are available at Mahon Point farmers market and Douglas farmers market! www.unaspies.ie
Great success Una has experienced great success in the Blas na hEireann and Great Taste awards since launching Una’s Pies. Each year, Una has won several awards in her category. In 2011, she won gold, silver and bronze and was also chosen as artisan producer of the year. In 2012, she again won gold, silver, and bronze. It was the Ƥrst time a producer had won back to back category awards. She was also presented with the award for the best farmers’ market stall and was chosen for the highest honour of all-‘Supreme Champion’. 2013 is proving to be another successful year for Una’s Pies. She celebrated a huge win earlier this year at the Great Taste by being awarded stars in the world’s largest and most rigorous food awards scheme involving over 400 judges and thousands of hours of blind tasting. Úna’s Pies has been awarded 2 Gold Stars for Chicken, Chorizo and Red Peppers, 2 Gold Stars for Roasted Veg and Goats Cheese and 1 Gold Star for Chicken, Leek and Cheese. At the 2013 Blas na hEireann awards, Una took home Silver and Bronze for her Chicken, Leek and Cheese and Goats Cheese and Roasted Vegetable. After receiving funding and invaluable guidance from South Cork Enterprise Board, the Economic Department in the Cork County Council and Enterprise Ireland’s New Frontiers, the future of Úna’s Pies
our very s u d e n g i ! des t at home Una has i g n i k a Try m own pie.
West Cork Pies
I’d like to say a big thank you to all my customers for their support throughout 2013. For those yet to be customers you can Ànd me at Bantry market on Friday mornings; Skibbereen market on Saturday mornings; and soon in select food retailers throughout West Cork, just look out for the distinctive red & white packaging and the West Cork Pies logo. Paul Phillips (The Pieman) Orders now being taken for Christmas orders@westcorkpies.com or 087 359 3905 www.westcorkpies.com
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West Fork Chicken and Smoked Bacon Pie 30g Butter 500g of Chicken Breast, Diced 4 Smoked Gubeen Rashers, Chopped 1Tbsp Plain Flour 150 ml Chicken Stock 150 ml of Double Cream 2Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard 250g of Store Bought Puff Pastry 265g of Short crust Pastry Handful of Cheddar Cheese 3 Tbsp. of Ballymaloe Relish 1 Egg, Lightly Beaten Sea Salt and Black Pepper 1. In a heavy-based frying pan, melt the butter and add fry the chicken on a medium heat until golden brown. 2. Add the smoked rashers and continue frying until lightly coloured and the chicken is cooked throughout. 3. Add the flour and gradually stir in the stock, followed by the cream. Allow this mixture to simmer for 2-3minutes, until thickened. Add the mustard and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 4. Preheat the oven to 180 ‘C/ gas mark 4. Lightly flour your surface and roll out the shortcrust pastry to 3mm thick and line the 23cm pie plate. 5. Add the cooled chicken mixture and dollop the Ballymaloe relish over the top. Then, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top. 6. Brush the edges of the pastry with a little beaten egg. Roll out the Puff pastry and cover the pie, trim off the excess pastry and press the edges together to seal in all the ingredients. 7. To allow the steam to escape, make a few holes in the centre of the pie and brush with the remaining beaten egg. 8. Bake the pie in the oven for approximately 30mins, or until the pastry is golden brown.
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West Fork magazine
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