Technique

Every technique guide on the site, in the order a pie gets made: pastry first, then assembly, then the filling, then everything that happens after the oven. Each one opens with the short answer and the temperatures in C and F.

Looking for a quick answer rather than a method? The guides cover storage, substitutions and serving, and the Pie Dictionary defines the terms.

Making the pastry

Fat, flour, water and temperature: the decisions that set the crust before it is rolled.

How to make all-butter shortcrust by hand

Rub 125g cold cubed butter into 250g plain flour with a pinch of salt until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs, then bind with about 5 tablespoons of ice-cold water and rest the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

How to make rough puff pastry

Toss cold butter cubes through flour without rubbing them in, bind with ice-cold water, then roll and fold the shaggy dough four times, resting it in the fridge between folds.

How to make hot water crust

Boil 200ml water with 150g fat, usually lard, pour it over 450g plain flour with a teaspoon of salt, and work the hot dough together while it is still warm and pliable.

How to work with filo without it cracking

Keep unused filo sheets covered with a barely damp tea towel, work with one sheet at a time, and brush each layer lightly with melted butter as you go.

How to make pastry in a food processor

Pulse cold cubed butter into flour in short bursts until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs, then pulse in ice-cold water just until the mixture starts to clump.

Butter, lard or shortening: which fat for pie pastry

Butter gives the best flavour and a crisp, flaky texture but is hardest to handle because it melts at a low temperature.

How to rest pastry and why it matters

Rest pastry wrapped in the fridge for at least 30 minutes after mixing, and again for 15 to 20 minutes after rolling and shaping, before it goes in the oven.

How to re-roll pastry scraps without toughness

Stack the trimmings flat on top of each other, press them together without kneading, chill for 20 minutes, and roll once.

How to keep pastry cold in a warm kitchen

Chill everything that touches the pastry, including the flour, the bowl, and the rolling pin, work in short bursts with fridge breaks between stages, and roll on a cold surface such as marble or a chilled baking sheet.

Assembling the pie

Lining, blind baking, sealing, crimping and venting, so the filling stays inside and the base stays crisp.

How to line a pie dish properly

Roll rested pastry to 3 to 4mm thick and about 5cm wider than the dish, lift it in over the rolling pin, then ease it into the corners without stretching before trimming with a small overhang.

How to blind bake a pie base step by step

Line the chilled pastry case with baking paper, fill it with baking weights, and bake at 200C (400F) for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove the paper and weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more until the base looks dry and lightly golden.

How to seal a pie so it never leaks

Brush the base rim with beaten egg, press the lid onto it firmly all the way round, fold the two edges under together, and crimp hard before chilling the assembled pie.

How to crimp pie edges three ways

The three standard crimps are the fork press, the two-finger flute, and the rope twist, in ascending order of effort and polish.

How to decorate a pie lid with pastry scraps

Re-roll trimmings once, cut leaves, lattice strips, or simple shapes, and fix them to the egg-washed lid before a second coat of egg wash goes over everything.

How to cut steam vents correctly

Cut one central hole about 1cm across, or 3 to 5 clean slashes 4 to 5cm long, all the way through the lid before the pie is baked.

How to use a pie bird

Stand the pie bird in the centre of the dish before the filling goes in, add the filling around it, then cut a small cross in the rolled lid and lower it over the bird so the funnel pokes through.

How to egg wash for maximum shine

For the deepest gloss, whisk one whole egg with an extra yolk and a pinch of salt, then apply two thin coats, chilling the pie briefly between them.

Building the filling

Cooking the chicken, making the sauce and seasoning it, and keeping the vegetables from flooding the pie.

How to poach chicken for pie filling

Cover chicken thighs with cold stock or water, bring barely to a simmer, and cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes until the meat pulls apart easily, then rest it in the liquid off the heat.

How to brown chicken properly for a pie

Dry the chicken thoroughly, season it, and sear it in a wide pan over medium-high heat in a single uncrowded layer, leaving it undisturbed until each side releases with a deep golden crust.

How to make a veloute base sauce for pies

Melt 50g butter, stir in 50g plain flour to make a roux, cook it for two minutes, then whisk in 500ml warm chicken stock in stages and simmer until the sauce thickly coats a spoon.

How to keep pie vegetables from going watery

Cook the water out of vegetables before they go in the pie: sweat onions and leeks until soft, saute mushrooms until their liquid has evaporated, and blanch or roast roots rather than adding them raw.

How to season a pie filling properly

Season in layers as you cook, then taste the finished, cooled filling and adjust it to be slightly more assertive than you would serve as a stew, because pastry mutes seasoning.

Baking, freezing, reheating and carrying

What happens after assembly: baking from frozen, batch baking, reheating without a soggy lid, and getting a pie somewhere in one piece.