Recipes for Savory Pies, Pastries and Tarts

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Beef and Mushroom Pie

This recipe is for the stew that you can use for Beef and Mushroom Pie. Brian likes his meat pies with a top and bottom crust. Use pie crust recipe of your choice or store-bought if desired. If using my Basic Pie Crust Recipe, omit sugar for this savory pie. Or, you can make dumplings to cook on top of stew or use top crust only for pie. Can also be served as a basic stew over buttered noodles, rice or mashed potatoes! In any case; this is a rich, delicious stew however you want to serve it!

    ¼ cup olive oil
    2-½ lbs. boneless beef chuck roast (or shoulder) cut in 1½-inch cubes
    1 tsp. finely minced garlic
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 tsp. salt
    ¼ tsp. black pepper
    12 oz. beef broth
    1 cup dry white wine
    8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
    1/3 cup flour
    1/2 cup water
    ½ tsp. dried thyme leaves

Place flour in a paper bag; crumble thyme leaves on top of flour, along with salt and pepper
Shake flour around with spices; then drop in beef cubes. Shake well to coat all cubes of beef with flour mixture.
Heat olive oil in Dutch oven and place floured cubes of beef in hot oil to brown. Don't crowd the pot; you must do this in batches so that the beef cubes will brown evenly on all    sides. Maybe 2 or 3 batches will do it. Remove cubes of beef to a large plate as they are browned.
When all cubes of beef are browned, cook onions and garlic in same pan until soft. Add more oil, if necessary.
Return meat to pan and stir well. Add water and stir to blend in flour. Then add broth; stirring well to remove all browned bits from bottom of pan.
Bring to a boil; stir in wine, lower heat and simmer for about 2-3 hours, until meat is fork-tender.
Stir in sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Add dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Roll out pie crust for 2-crust pie. Place bottom crust in pie plate or casserole dish. Bake bottom crust for about 5 minutes at 400°F to harden it. This helps prevent the bottom crust from becoming soggy. Cover rim of pie crust with aluminum foil so it won't brown before you add top crust. Remove pie crust from oven and let cool. Turn oven temperature down to 350°. Pour beef mixture into cooled bottom crust and cover top of pie with other crust. Decorate as desired. Brush top of pie with egg or evaporated milk to give it a shiny finish. Bake in 350° oven for about 45 minutes until crust is golden brown.

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Beef Wellington
Based on Recipe from Food Network.com by Campbell's Soup Kitchen

    1 Beef Tenderloin (2 - 2½ lbs.)
    Ground Black Pepper
    1 egg
    1 Tablespoon Water
    1 Tablespoon Butter
    2 cups finely chopped mushrooms
    1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup)
    4 oz. liver paté
    All-purpose flour
    ½ of 17.3 oz. pkg. Puff Pastry Sheets

Heat oven to 425°F. Place beef on a lightly greased roasting pan. Season with black pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 120°F. Cover the pan and refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 425°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
Heat butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion, and cook until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid is evaporated, stirring often.
Sprinkle the work surface with the flour. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a rectangle 4-inches long and 6 inches wider than beef. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture.
Spread the liver pate over pastry sheet to within 1-inch of the edges. Place the beef in the center of paté. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the beef. Fold the pastry over the beef and press to seal. Place - seam side down - onto a baking sheet. Tuck the ends under to seal. Brush pastry with the egg mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and meat thermometer reads 140°F.

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Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Preparation time: 45 minutes. Serves 6-8, depending on desired portion size.
Ingredients for the chicken pot pie:

    3 cups of well seasoned chicken stock or turkey stock
    6 tablespoons of fat from a roasted chicken or turkey (or use melted butter)
    6 tablespoons of flour
    1 cup sliced mushrooms
    3-4 cups of cooked and diced chicken or turkey meat
    ½ - 1 cup of fresh or frozen peas (thawed)
    1 cup diced red peppers (or to taste)
    1 cup half and half cream, scalded
    1 rolled pie crust

Instructions for the chicken pot pie:
Make the roux:

    Heat a skillet over medium-low heat
    When skillet is hot, melt fat or butter
    Add flour and stir over heat until roux is smooth (do NOT brown)

    Heat stock until boiling
    Add mushrooms and red peppers and cook over medium heat until vegetables are crisp-tender (do not over-cook)
    Add roux to stock, stirring until thickened
    Add diced chicken (or turkey) and green peas and heat
    Thin with hot cream to correct consistency
    Correct seasoning
    Pour into 2 1/2 quart baking dish and top with pie crust
    Crimp pie crust edges and cut vents in the crust
    Brush crust with beaten egg and water
    Bake in 400°F oven until bubbling and crust is lightly browned

Serve this chicken pot pie with a mixed green salad
Short of time? Use a prepared pie crust from the supermarket. It's okay!

Real Restaurant Recipes

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Cornish Pasties

Recipe Offered to Toni by Eileen Wilding, Wigan, England

(She used shin beef for her pasties and made them in a half-moon shape) - Delicious!!!

Place chuck steak or chuck roast (cut into cubes) in hot oil until very browned. Add chopped onion and 1 clove minced garlic to meat and cook until soft and lightly browned. Add beef or vegetable stock to pot and cook stew for 2-3 hours until very tender and meat starts to shred apart. Add cubed potatoes and carrots and cook until tender. Stir peas, parsley and seasonings into the meat mixture and cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off heat and let cool while you make the pastry.

Can also use lamb (ground or cubes) for this dish; as well as ground beef. For pastry, use recipe for Basic Pie Crust Dough (can omit sugar). Roll each 6-inch disk into a pie crust and cut 4 circles out of each crust. Spoon some of the meat mixture into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a space around the edge. Brush this with a little beaten egg. Lift up either side of the pastry circle over the top of the filling and press the edges together well. Crimp this edge between the fingers to seal. Carefully lift the pastries onto a greased baking sheet and brush with more of the beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

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Empanadas
This recipe contributed by Aunt Frances Contreras, Fresno, California

Filling:
    1 small beef tongue (2 lbs.)
    2 lbs. pork loin
    1 jar mincemeat with Brandy
    apples, peeled and diced small (a couple)
    Raisins - chopped - to taste
    Brandy to taste
    Cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves.

Boil tongue. Trim gristle and fat from tongue and cut into large chunks. Cook pork loin in water and cut into chunks.
Grind meat together in grinder or food processor. Mix ground meat, apples, raisins and mincemeat. Add spices and Brandy until all is to your taste.

Dough:
Make your favorite pie crust dough - a tortilla-type dough with sugar added, or (see our Basic Pie Pastry)
Roll dough into saucer size rounds Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of mincemeat on the dough and fold over. Press edges together and press with tines of a fork; or crimp to your liking.
Can be baked about 8-10 minutes at 350°F or until light brown; or fry in hot fat until both sides are light brown; drain on kitchen towels.
Contreras Family prefers the fried version!!!!

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Empanadas de Picadillo

    1 tsp. butter or margarine
    ½ lb. each lean ground beef and lean ground pork
    ½ cup each tomato puree and seedless raisins
    ¼ cup dry sherry
    2 tsps. ground cinnamon
    1 tsp. salt
    ½ tsp. ground cloves
    2 Tbs. vinegar
    1 Tbs. sugar
    ¾ cup slivered almonds
    Pastry for double-crush (9-inch) pie
    Salad Oil (optional)

In a wide frying pan, melt butter over medium heat, add meat and cook, stirring often, until meat loses pinkness. Drain off excess fat. Stir in garlic, tomato puree, raisins, sherry, cinnamon, salt, cloves, vinegar and sugar. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add almonds and cool.

Prepare pastry, using your favorite recipe (see our Basic Pie Pastry) or a packaged mix. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness and cut out 3-inch circles for little turnovers (4- or 5-inch circles for large turnovers). Spoon filling mixture evenly on one side of pastry round; moisten edges of pastry; fold over, and seal.

Heat at least 1-inch of oil to 370°F and cook turnovers until brown on both sides; or bake in a 400°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown. Makes 3-½ dozen small; or about 14 large turnovers.

From Sunset's Mexican Cookbook

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Humitas (Creamy Corn Empanadas)

Recipe courtesy Daisy Martinez - Food Network TV
YIELD: about 8 empanadas:

    4 tablespoons butter
    ¼ cup all-purpose flour
    1 cup milk
    ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
    Kosher or fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper (preferably white)
    2 cups frozen corn, defrosted
    1 heaping tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
    8 (6-inch) store-bought empanada wrappers, preferably red (seasoned)
    Vegetable or canola oil

    Make the filling: Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook until smooth and bubbly, about 3 minutes. Add the milk slowly while whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, paying special attention to the corners of the saucepan. Add the paprika and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the corn and parsley, return to a simmer. Scrape the filling into a bowl and cool completely before filling wrappers.
    To Form: Moisten the edges of 1 of the empanada wrappers with a fingertip dipped in warm water. Center a generous 1/3-cup of the filling on the wrapper. Bring the sides of the wrapper together to meet over the filling and pinch the sides together to seal and form a half-moon shape. Lay the half-moon flat on the work surface. Work you way around the edges, bringing about 1/2-inch of the bottom layer of dough up and over the top layer, to make a mini-pleat. Press as you go to seal the pleats. If you don't want to mess with crimping, just seal the edges all the way around with the tips of the tines of a fork.
    Fry the Empanadas: (empanadas may also be baked; see Note below): Pour enough vegetable or canola oil into a large heavy skillet to fill about 3/4-inch up the sides. Heat over medium heat until the tip of the handle of a wooden spoon immersed in the oil gives off a lively sizzle, about 375 degrees F. Carefully slip as many of the empanadas into the oil as will fit without crowding. Cook until the dough is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and repeat. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving. Repeat with remaining empanadas.

Note: To bake empanadas, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or use a nonstick baking sheet. Bake until the empanadas are light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool a few minutes before serving.

Serve these Empanadas with Daisy's "Cilantro Pesto"...for recipe

Click Here.

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Pork Pies
Old-Fashioned Raised Pork Pies were originally raised by hand, using old-fashioned wooden pie moulds; but, in the 21st century, deep muffin tins make everything so much simpler. The most famous English pork pies come from MeltonMowbray, and traditionally, a very small amount of anchovy essence was used to add subtle additional flavour.

I adapted this recipe from the following 2 collections:
    The Delia Smith Collection: Pork (For the Filling)
    Farmhouse Kitchen Cookbook - Based on the Yorkshire Television Independent Television series, produced by Graham and Mary Watts 1975. (For the Pastry)

For the Filling:
    4 oz. (110 g) unsmoked bacon (about 3 rashers)
    12 oz. (350 g) pork shoulder, including some fat
    1 heaped teaspoon chopped fresh sage
    ½ teaspoon anchovy essence
    ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
    ¼ teaspoon ground mace
    Salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the Hot-Water Crust Pastry:
    4 ft. oz. (½ cup) water
    4 oz. lard (8 Tbs. or ½ cup)
    (10 oz.) (2-¼ cups strong plain flour (like bread flour)
    ½ level teaspoon salt
    1 small beaten egg

If you wish to make the pork pie with the Jelly Filling, as is the old English tradition, you will need:
    1 pig's trotter (pig's foot)
    1 bay leaf
    6 peppercorns

Prepare jelly a day in advance:
Boil trotter with bay leaf and peppercorns in 1 pint of water until quite soft and leaving in the bone (about 3 hours).
Strain liquid into bowl (about ¼ pint is enough for pie). Leave overnight.
Remove any fat from top. If jelly has not set, simmer gently to reduce amount. Discard trotter.

Prepare the meats, which need to be coarsely chopped in a food processor, using the pulse button. You need a chopped rather than a minced effect. Then simply combine all the filling ingredients and give everything a really good seasoning.
Next, the pastry. Boil water and lard together in saucepan. Pour on to flour and salt. Mix with a knife (it will be hot); then knead with hands until quite smooth. Allow to cool a bit before rolling out, but you have to work quickly, as the pastry must go into the tins while the dough is still warm.
Roll out ¾ of pastry. If making 1 large pork pie, use a loose-bottomed tin, 6 inches across and 3 inches deep, pressing pastry round sides to make an even thickness. If making small individual pies, use a non-stick muffin tin with 6 cups. Cut 6 equal amounts of dough with pastry cutter or glass to fit each muffin cup. Roll each into a ball and then press into muffin cup. Using your thumb, press each ball flat onto the base, and then up to the top edge. Press the pastry over the rim of the top edge so it overlaps a little.
If making one large pie, pack filling in loosely. Roll out lid to fit, brushing edges with beaten egg and arrange on top. Flute edges of pie and brush all over top of pie with beaten egg. Make a hole in centre with skewer. Bake at 400°F (Gas Mark 6), for 30 minutes. Reduce heat if browning too quickly to 375°F (Gas Mark 5), and bake for a further 1 hour. Remove from tin on to wire rack. Boil up jelly. Allow pie and jelly to cool for 15 minutes. Using a small funnel, gently pour jelly through hole in centre, as much as it will hold. When jelly has settled into the meat, add a little more for extra moistness. For best flavour, leave for 24 hours before eating.
When making pies in muffin tin, preheat oven to 350°F (Gas Mark 4); divide the processed pork mixture among the lined muffin tins. Then roll out remaining pastry and cut out 6 smaller rounds for lids. The pastry will be quite thin now, so you may have to sprinkle the work surface with a little flour. Using a pastry brush the beaten egg around the edges of each lid and gently press a lid on each pie, egg side down. Then, using a small fork, press the rims of the lids against the tops of the pie cases. Make a hole in centre of each pie with a skewer. Brush pies all over with rest of beaten egg. Now place the muffin tin on a baking sheet and bake the pies for 30 minutes on the middle shelf, then remove them from the oven. After this time, carefully and, using a small, round-bladed knife and oven gloves (or thick cloth), remove the hot pies from the tin and place them directly on to the hot baking sheet. This will make the sides and base crispy. Bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until the sides and base of the pies are crispy. Remove to wire rack; and if using jelly, follow instructions for jelly filling in  #4 above.

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Ratatouille Tart with Caramelized Onions and Tomato Jam
Recipe courtesy of Kelsey Nixon, Cooking Channel TV

FOR JAM:
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    2 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    10 Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and roughly chopped (about 2 -½ pounds)
    ½ cup molasses
    ½ cup light brown sugar
    ½ cup cider vinegar
    ½ teaspoon allspice
    ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon chipotle powder

FOR TART:
    1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
    Flour, for dusting
    ½ to ¾ cup Caramelized Onion-Tomato Jam
    3 Roma tomatoes, sliced ½-inch thick
    1 Japanese eggplant, sliced ¼-inch thick on a mandoline
    1 yellow squash, sliced ¼-inch thick on a mandoline
    1 zucchini, sliced ¼-inch thick on a mandoline
    1 to 2 roasted red peppers, julienned
    2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
    Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
    3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, divided
    ½ cup crumbled goat cheese

In a high-sided saute pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with the salt, cover and cook until they are wilted and soft, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook the onions until they are golden and caramelized, stirring often, about 20 minutes more.
Stir in the garlic and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook an additional 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stirring consistently, cook until the tomatoes breakdown and the jam becomes thick, about 20 minutes. Yield: 3 cups
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Roll the puff pastry out on a floured surface to a rectangular shape, about 12 by 10 1/2 inches. Transfer the pastry sheet to a parchment-lined baking sheet. With the tines of a fork, dock a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the sheet and dock the center of the sheet a few times as well. This will prevent the dough from rising as it cooks.
Spread the Caramelized Onion-Tomato Jam evenly over the pastry, leaving a small border around the edge of the pastry. Layer the tomatoes, eggplant, yellow squash and zucchini in overlapping rows, or in whatever pattern you like. Sprinkle the roasted red peppers around the tart. Drizzle the assembled tart with a little olive oil, making sure to brush a little on the edges, season with salt and pepper and top with half of the fresh oregano.
Bake until the pastry is golden brown and puffed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the goat cheese and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano before serving.

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Soppressata and Cheese in Puff Pastry
2010, Barefoot Contessa   How Easy is That?, All Rights Reserved
Serves:   6 for first course, 8 for cocktails
Ingredients
    1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted
    2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    12 thin (not paper thin) slices soppressata salami (3 1/2 inches in diameter)
    6 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
    1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan.
Lay one sheet of puff pastry on a floured board and lightly roll into a 10-inch square. Place it on the sheet pan and brush the pastry with all the mustard, leaving a 1-inch border. Arrange the soppressata in overlapping layers on the mustard and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the soppressata, also avoiding the border. Brush the border with the egg wash.
Lightly roll the second piece of puff pastry into a 10-inch square. Lay the pastry directly on top of the first square, lining up the edges. Brush the top with the egg wash, cut three large slits for steam to escape, and chill for 15 minutes.
When the pastry is cold, trim the edges with a very sharp knife to make a clean edge. Bake the pastry in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once while baking, until puffed and brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes, cut in squares, and serve hot or warm.
Copyright 2012 Television Food Network G.P.
All Rights Reserved

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Stilton, Celery and Macadamia Tarts

    250g (8 oz.) ready-made shortcrust pastry, chilled
    1 egg
    100 ml. (3-½ fl. oz.) single cream
    90g (3 oz.) Stilton, roughly chopped
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
    30g (1 oz.) macadamia nuts, chopped
    2 tablespoons chopped celery heart
    1 teaspoon chopped fresh marjoram

Divide the pastry into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece thinly and use to line 4X10cm (4-inch) fluted tart tins. Prick the pastry with a fork, then line each tart with baking parchment; fill with dried beans and bake blind in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7.
Meanwhile, beat the egg and cream together in a bowl, then stir in the cheese, chives, nuts, celery and marjoram. Remove the paper and beans from the pastry cases, spoon in the cheese mixture and bake for another 12 - 15 minutes.

Serve the tarts hot, with a celery and rocket (arugula) salad.

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