Build a Better Savory Pie

As a Brit, though sounding utterly delicious, I would not consider the fish pie recipe to be a pie. For me the filling has to have either/or/both a continuous layer on the bottom or top. If the sourdough was crumbled and covered the filling ...

In New Zealand, the venison meat pies one can buy along the road have given us inspiration for the treasure of venison that we have in the freezer. If they weren't there, they would have died on the hoof of disease and starvation in this area of growing population. A local hunter keeps the numbers in check with bow and arrow, not firearms, and shares it with us.

Interesting and I’m sure tasty treatment for a quickly made pie, but like with most food, taking a little longer to make the classic pie will produce a truly great meat pie. The Aussies ( having taken there cue from the Brits) probably make the best meat pies. In Australia, they are as ubiquitous as hamburgers whether as a take-out item for lunch or as a main meal for dinner. The pastry lid, whether short rust or puff pastry, seals in the goodness of the lamb or beef chunks with herbs and veggies and produces a flavor that is superb. For a good recipe try the Shearer Pie by Aussie chef Ben O’donoghue who has shuffled the pans with the likes of Jamie Oliver and Curtis Stone. (benodonoghue.com) This pie will take a little longer to make, but there will be leftovers for the next day(maybe.)

I've loved British and made them for years. I learned some of them from Jane Garmey's wonderful cookbook from the 80s called 'British Cooking: A Well-Kept Secret. The Veal, Ham and Egg Pie is spectacular, as it the Mowbray PIe, so I'm actually glad to see this recipe for a Fish Pie, which the book does not contain. I'm sure I'd find many more in Mrs. Beetton's cookbook, which I still need to buy. But from Garmey's book I also learned a fabulous Steak and Kidney Pudding from scratch such as I had in 1987 in the Isles of Scilly, Cornwall. The dessert pudding from England are fabulous too, and can be found more easily. I have another book which is half-literary and half-cookbook, which has a veal and fruit filling, utterly delicious. I don't think I've made any English dessert pies, but the Bakewell Tart and Sussex Pond Pudding I must mention. I made the tart scores of times. Best, Mrs. Garmey told me of the medieval way to make Yorkshire Pudding by pouring it in to soak up the beef juices before it is done--much better than doing it separately, and then served with Horseradish Sauce. Some mentioned Chicken Pot Pie, although I hadn't thought of that as particularly British. My mother and aunts in Alabama made the best ones I ever ate. BTW, none of the commercially bought version of any of these come close, even if I get sentimental about a steak 'n' kidney I had with a pint at a Battersea pub.

Of course we would get the recipe for fish pie, not the delicious pork pie I first tasted years ago (and yes when told it was to be eaten cold cringed, only to find how wonderful it was that way with pint of local bitters (warm)). An yes a good shepherd's pie (lamb or beef --- not mutton please) is also truly wonderful.

I also love savory pies as well as sweet. However, I am not convinced about the crouton crust. Putting a quality homemade pastry crust together is not difficult, and provides for a superior fish or mixed seafood pie. Bread alone does not provide the crunch, texture and richness that the seafood and the diner deserves.

Thanks for giving pies some love! As a pie addict, there's far too little coverage for my taste. I was recently in Edinburgh and was delighted by the Wednesday tradition of 'pie and a pint' in most pubs😊

I hate to say this but I find the Mr. Food quicky Shepherds Pie recipe very tasty and easy.

The recipe calls for crust-less sour dough, but the picture seems to show crust was also used. Is it important?

I am greatly handicapped by neither my tablet (WiFi) nor laptop (cable) allowing me to read the articles in Food Section: the text is blocked, I see the headline, subheading, and others' comments. Having said this, I do not like hot seafood pies, but only beef, ground or sliced. Nevertheless, there is a childhood memory of cold crusty pie made of a freshwater fish and translucent rice noodles. My wife loves making fruit pies in crust, which I partake of, but not more than out of the feeling of uxoriousness.

". . . the word “pie” has multiple meanings, some old, some new, some sweet, some savory, some with a pastry crust, others without. . . to an outsider, this is all very confusing." Very true indeed. It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized mincemeat can either be a mixture of chopped dried fruit, distilled spirits, spices, and/or beef suet, beef, or venison. I never touch one of those pies because the mere idea of meat being mixed in with dried fruit is something I find less than appealing for my palate. I make dessert pies because my husband loves them, especially apple, almost as much as he loves me. He especially drools over my apple pie slab. The only aspect of this article that I found disappointing was the omission of the ever so common yet underappreciated chicken pot pie. Talk about finding "their inbuilt comfort totally seductive." Nothing screams comfort food louder than a homemade creamy chicken pot pie made with a homemade, flaky pie crust which is filled with chunks of white chicken meat, bright green peas, orange carrot chunks, baby pearl onions, and a savory, rich sauce.