Hello everyone,
Every year on 23 January we celebrate National Pie Day.
Pie Day was first introduced in the mid- ‘70s by Charlie Papazian, who had such a passion for pies, that he decided to celebrate pastry with its own day and chose his birth date to honour his favourite food.
Ancient Egyptians and Greeks were amongst the first to eat pies.
Back then, it was a pastry shell made with water and flour and filled with a variety of meats.
As time went by, people started experimenting by adding veg, fruits and other sweet fillings.
Today, this much-loved pastry has evolved and we use everything from apples to spinach and even zucchini as filling.
Everyone has their favourite version, some experiment with the fancy things and some keep it traditional, like a mince fruit pie on Christmas, a chicken pie for a special occasion or a lekker warme gebakte steak pie for Labarang morning.
A pie is also a convenient little snack, when made in smaller or bite sizes, making it perfect for entertaining and lunchboxes.
Many stores, bakeries and garages have a pie counter that’s super convenient and for some it’s the perfect on-the-go meal.
When you’re on the road, nothing hits the spot like a hot pepper steak or steak and kidney pie with an ice-cold drink to wash it down.
This week our awesome chefs at Capsicum Culinary Studio share their favourite sweet pie recipes and I have added a few savoury ones too.
After the endless month of January, it’s the perfect excuse to make something lekker and indulge a little.
Happy Baking and Cooking.
Love, Your Cooksister
Best Apple Pie
Recipe Credit - Capsicum Culinary Studio Chefs
Ingredients
2 sheets of puff pastry, chilled
7 to 8 Granny Smith apples
100g light brown sugar
100g white sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp corn-starch
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
Method
Heat oven to 200°C.
Peel apples then cut in half. Remove cores and slice apple halves into thin 6mm slices.
Place apple slices into a large bowl.
Scatter both sugars, salt and spices over the apples and toss them with your hands, coating them as much as possible.
Set aside for 1 hour at room temperature.
Roll out half of the pastry on a lightly floured work surface.
The pastry should be about 3cm to 5cm larger than the pie dish you are using.
Being careful not to stretch it, place the dough into the pie dish and trim any overhanging pastry to within 20mm of the edge of the dish.
Refrigerate while you make the pie filling.
Roll out the second half of the pastry to a similar size as before and transfer it to a large parchment-lined baking sheet.
Keep this in the fridge until needed.
Toss the apple slices with the corn-starch. Transfer the apples into the prepared bottom crust using your hands to really pack them down.
Fill until the apple slices reach the edge of the pie crust.
Pour the juices that have accumulated at the bottom of the bowl over the apples. About ½-¾ cup will suffice.
Cut a tablespoon of butter into 8 small pieces and dot them over the pie.
For a double crust pie, place the second pie dough round over the filling or cut it into strips and lattice the top.
If you are not adding a lattice crust but adding the top crust in one piece, use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to vent.
Trim excess dough from the top crust or lattice strips and fold the overhang underneath itself, forming a thick rim. Press it together or crimp it with your fingers or use a fork.
Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water and lightly brush this egg wash on the top crust to add shine and help the crust brown.
Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 75 minutes, rotating a few times for even browning.
The pie is done when the juices are bubbling through the vents at the top crust or lattice.
Use a skewer to test the apples and if they feel too crunchy bake for a little longer.
Cool the pie, without slicing into it, for at least an hour as the filling does not fully thicken until completely cooled.
Chicken, Mushroom and Spinach Pot Pie
Recipe Credit - Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
For the chicken filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 finely chopped onion
6 chicken fillets cut in small cubes
250g finely chopped spinach
1 punnet mushrooms diced
1 heaped tablespoon chicken spice
2 x chicken ala king powder
500ml water
1 fresh cream
1-2 rolls puff pastry depending on how big your pie dishes are
For the mash
6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 tablespoons butter
1 mug warm milk
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon baking powder
Method
For the mash:
Boil the potatoes in cold water until soft.
Strain the excess water, add salt, baking powder, butter and warm milk to the potatoes and mash until smooth.
Set aside and allow to cool
For the chicken filling
In a large pot braise the onions in butter until golden.
Add the chicken, chicken spice mushrooms and spinach and braise until dry.
Add the 600ml water mixed with the chicken ala king powder and the fresh cream.
Reduce heat and bring to boil.
Set aside and allow to cool completely.
To assemble
Grease spray ramekins or individual pie dishes.
Line the dish with mash, followed by the chicken filling and top with pie pastry. (I unroll the pastry from the packet but don’t roll it out further.)
Tuck the pastry gently in the dish ensuring all the sides are covered.
Brush with egg and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow it to set.
Bake in a preheated oven on 200°C for 25-35 minutes or until the pie is crisp and golden.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Recipe Credit - Capsicum Culinary Studio Chefs
Ingredients
1 baked rich shortcrust pastry shell
3 eggs, separated
250g sweetened condensed milk
Grated rind and juice of 3 lemons
5 tbsp of caster sugar
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.
Beat the egg yolks, lemon rind and lemon juice together until thick and creamy.
Beat in the condensed milk and pour into the baked pastry shell.
In a separate bowl, beat together the egg whites and the castor sugar until stiff peaks form.
Spoon the mixture over the lemon filling and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
Remove and let the pie cool completely before serving.
Pecan Pie
Recipe Credit - Capsicum Culinary Studio Chefs
Ingredients
500g shortcrust pastry
75g butter, softened
100g golden caster sugar
175g golden syrup
175g maple syrup
3 eggs, beaten
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
300g pecan halves
Method
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 23cm tart tin.
Prick the bottom of the pastry case with a fork and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 190ºC.
Line the pastry case with baking paper, fill with baking beans (or uncooked rice) and blind bake for 15-20 minutes until the sides are set.
Remove the beans and paper and return the tin to the oven for 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden and the base is set.
Remove and leave to cool. Bump up the oven to 200ºC.
Use an electric whisk to beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy and while still beating, pour in the golden and maple syrups.
Gradually add the eggs, salt and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.
Stir in the pecans then pour the mixture into the tart case.
Bake for 10 minutes before turning the oven down to 160ºC and continue baking for 30 to 35 minutes.
Leave to cool in the tin before turning out and serving with whipped cream or ice cream.
Banoffee Pie
Recipe Credit - Capsicum Culinary Studio Chefs
Ingredients
For the crust:
230g Tennis biscuits (or any plain biscuit)
¼ cup sugar
110g unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
6 tbsp unsalted butter
6 tbsp brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp kosher salt
4 ripe bananas
1 cup double cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
60g milk chocolate
Method
To make the pie crust: In a food processor, blitz the biscuits until finely ground.
Add the sugar and melted butter and pulse until you have moist crumbs.
Place crumbs in a 23cm pie plate and press the crumbs firmly into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Freeze the pie crust for 15 minutes so the butter hardens.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Bake crust until lightly browned, about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely.
To make the filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and brown sugar and stir occasionally, until the sugar dissolves (5 minutes).
Pour in the condensed milk and heat until it starts to boil, thicken, and take on a little colour (7-10 minutes).
Remove from the heat and stir in the salt.
Pour into the biscuit crust and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then cover and chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
Remove from fridge.
Peel and slice the bananas and arrange on top of the filling.
In a bowl, combine cream, caster sugar and vanilla and beat until medium peaks form.
Spoon the cream on top of the bananas, then sprinkle over chocolate shavings.
Refrigerate until ready to serve
Butternut, Creamed Spinach and Feta Pie
Creamed Spinach
Ingredient
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 small onion
1 punnet mushrooms (Sliced)
400g chopped spinach
250ml milk
250ml fresh cream
1 packet white onion soup
Black pepper to taste
Method
Braise the onion in butter until golden brown.
Add in the pepper, mushrooms and spinach and braise until dry.
Add in the milk mixed with the soup powder and the fresh cream.
Simmer until it boils.
Warm Butternut
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons Butter
500g butternut Cubes
1 Tablespoon Brown sugar
¼ tsp fine cinnamon
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
Braise the butternut in butter, add the rest of the ingredients and braise until golden brown, top up with water and simmer until water has reduced and the butternut is soft.
FOR THE PIE
Preheat the oven to 200deg and turn it down just before putting the pie in.
I used a pack of puff pastry and placed it on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Add the Butternut, topped it with the Creamed Spinach, crumbed some feta on top, slit the sides and folded it over the top.
*Tip - make sure the Butternut has no excess water, it will make your pie soggy.
Sprinkle some sesame seeds, brush with egg and bake on 180degrees for 30-40 minutes.
Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect