Best Mushroom Pie Recipes

BEEF, MUSHROOM AND GUINNESS® PIE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, and brown the beef stew meat on all sides, about 10 minutes; set aside. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and cook the bacon just until it begins to brown; stir in the onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, and sugar. Cook the vegetables until soft and browned, 10 to 15 more minutes.
• Stir in the flour until smoothly incorporated, and gradually mix in the Irish stout beer and beef stock. Mix in the thyme, bay leaves, and the reserved cooked beef. Cover, and bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Remove the cover, turn the heat up to medium, and let the stew boil until slightly thickened, about 15 more minutes. Mix cornstarch with water, and stir into the stew; let simmer for 30 more minutes to blend flavors. Remove from heat; discard bay leaves.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Spread the filling into a 9-inch pie dish; trim the puff pastry into a 10-inch circle, and place on top of the filling. Pinch and crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork, sealing it to the dish; cut 2 steam vents into the pastry with a sharp knife. Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

PROPER BEEF, ALE & MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• If you're using the porcini mushrooms, cover 10g of mushrooms in boiling water for 20 mins, then squeeze out but keep the soaking water.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large casserole dish, brown 1kg large chunks of braising steak really well in batches, then set aside.
• Add 2 large onions, roughly chopped, and 4 large carrots, chopped into large chunks, to the pan. Add a drizzle more vegetable oil, then cook on a low heat for 5 mins until coloured.
• Add the soaked porcini mushrooms, sizzle for 1 min more, then scatter over 2 tsp golden caster sugar and 4 tbsp plain flour, stirring until the flour turns brown.
• Tip the braising steak and any juices back into the pan and give it all a good stir.
• Pour over 300ml dark ale, 2 beef stock cubes mixed with 400ml boiling water and the porcini mushroom soaking liquid, discarding the last few drops.
• Season the stew, tuck in a small tied-together bunch of thyme, bay leaf and parsley, and bring everything to a simmer.
• Cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 2 hrs, until the braising steak is really tender.
• While the stew is cooking, heat a drop more vegetable oil in a frying pan and sizzle 200g smoked bacon lardons for 3 mins until crisp.
• Turn up the heat, add 200g halved chestnut mushrooms and cook for 4 mins until golden. Remove from the heat and, when the stew is cooked, stir them through.
• Leave everything to cool completely - better still, make this up to 2 days in advance and keep it in the fridge as the pie will be better if the filling is fridge-cold when added. Can also be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted when needed.
• Make the pastry up to 2 days before you want to assemble the pie. Crumble 650g plain flour and 250g cold diced lard or butter, together with a generous pinch of sea salt until completely combined, then add up to 200ml ice-cold water to make a soft dough. This can be done in a food processor if you want.
• Knead the pastry, then wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hr. The pastry can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for up to a month.
• When you want to make the pie, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and place a flat baking tray in the oven. Heavily grease a 24-28cm pie dish and dust well with flour.
• Cut a third off the pastry and set aside. Roll out the pastry to a thickish round that will easily line the pie dish with an overhang, then line the tin.
• Add the braising steak to the dish using a slotted spoon so some gravy is left in the container, as you don't want too much sauce in the pie. You want the filling to be slightly higher than the rim of the dish. If you have a bit too much, set it aside.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to a thick round big enough to cover the dish. Brush the edges of the pastry in the dish with 1 beaten egg yolk, then cover with the pastry lid.
• Trim the edges, crimp the pastry, then re-roll your trimmings to make a decoration, for example, pastry leaves. Brush the top heavily with egg. Make a few little slits in the centre of the pie, place on the hot baking tray.
• Bake for 40 mins until golden. Leave the pie to rest for 10 mins while you heat up the gravy left in the container. Serve the pie at the table with a jug of gravy and a big pile of greens.

MUSHROOM & LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate while preparing filling., Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp tea towel. Trim stems; quarter or slice large mushrooms., In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add leek; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Remove from pan., In same pan, heat remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook 4-6 minutes or until tender and liquid has evaporated. Stir in leek, salt and pepper. Cool slightly., Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese onto bottom of crust. Top with mushroom mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and cream until blended; pour over top., Bake on a lower oven rack until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with parsley before serving.

ELEGANT MUSHROOM PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-fat cooking spray.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and onions, stirring occasionally, until liquid from the mushrooms has cooked down, about 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and thyme and simmer 2 minutes.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan. Whisk in flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Gradually add the Swanson® Chicken Broth, Marsala, and half-and-half, whisking until sauce is smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. The sauce should be very thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the mushroom mixture to the sauce broth/Marsala mixture; stir well.
• Roll out one sheet of puff pastry to fit the pie plate. Press evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate; trim the excess pastry. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the pastry shell.
• Roll out the second sheet of puff pastry, and place on top. Trim excess, and crimp the edge to seal. Cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape. Brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown and mushroom mixture is bubbly, about 40 minutes. Allow the pie to cool slightly before serving.

CHICKEN, LEEK & MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Put the chicken in a large pan with the bay, half the thyme sprigs, the parsley stalks, onions, garlic, stock and seasoning. Pour the milk over the chicken and, if you need to, top up with water to make sure the chicken is covered. Bring the chicken to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 mins. Lift from the liquid and leave to cool.
• Drain the poaching liquid through a sieve into a large jug - you need 650ml to make the sauce for your pie.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the leeks and the mushrooms, and cook for 5-10 mins until soft, then season well. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables. Slowly add the poaching liquid, stirring until you have a thick sauce.
• Using two forks, pull the chicken apart into thumb-sized chunks rather than chopping it - I feel you get a far better pie this way. Chop the parsley leaves, then stir into the leeks with the thyme leaves, crème frâiche and chicken. Check the seasoning, then spoon the mixture into your pie dish (or dishes) to cool slightly.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry on a lightly dusted work surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut thin strips from the edges and use a little water to stick these around the lip of the pie dish, then wet the top of the pastry strip. Lift the pastry on top of the pie, trim the edges and crimp them with your fingers or a fork. Brush the top with milk and cut a steam hole in the middle.
• Put the dish on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until the pastry is risen and golden. Some of the filling will have bubbled up through the steam hole. Have a bottle of tomato ketchup on hand to serve, if you like - and be careful, the pie will be hot.

COUNTRY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM POT PIE

Steps:

• Combine 1 cup boiling water and chicken bouillon in a liquid measure; set aside to dissolve.
• Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms; fry for about 3 minutes. Remove onion-mushroom mixture from the pot.
• Add remaining butter to the pot with chicken pieces. Stir chicken and splash Worcestershire sauce over top. Cook, stirring continuously, until chicken is seared on all sides but not cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in onion-mushroom mixture, bouillon, and pepper.
• Add milk and 1/4 cup water; boil for 20 minutes. Add frozen vegetables and boil for 10 more minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch oven-proof dish and lay down bottom crust in it. Set top crust aside.
• After filling has boiled for 10 minutes, use a large ladle to scoop out approximately 1 cup sauce from the mixture and pour into a cup. Add cornstarch to the cup and stir until all lumps have dissolved. Add cornstarch mixture back to the pot; cook and stir until filling has thickened to your liking.
• Bake bottom crust in the preheated oven for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, add filling, and cover with the top crust, making sure the edges are sealed. Make cute decorations with pastry cut-offs and use a knife to make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Lightly paint egg yolk over the top crust.
• Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Ovens vary so baking time may vary-keep an eye on it.

CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PUFF PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken thighs and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.
• Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the bacon pieces into the pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme sprigs, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour. Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min.
• With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or whisk in the chicken stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 mins. Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 20 x 30cm) with a lip and leave to cool.
• Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. On a floured surface, roll the pastry to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little of the beaten egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with beaten egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin to help. Gently press the edges with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife.
• Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE WITH PHYLLO-PARMESAN CRUST

Steps:

• Combine dried porcini and 1 cup hot water in small bowl; let stand until porcini are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain porcini, reserving liquid.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add fresh mushrooms and garlic; sauté until mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Add porcini, porcini soaking liquid (leaving any sediment behind), broth, wine, prosciutto, lemon peel, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered 20 minutes to blend flavors. Whisk cornstarch mixture to combine and add to skillet; stir until mixture thickens slightly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Season sauce to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate.)
• Preheat oven to 425°F. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in small saucepan; remove from heat. Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remainder with sheet of plastic wrap, then damp towel). Brush phyllo sheet with some of melted butter. Using both hands, gently scrunch buttered phyllo sheet into loose ball, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter; set on work surface. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and melted butter.
• Bring mushroom sauce to boil. Mix in chicken and parsley. Transfer mixture to 13x9x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover hot filling with phyllo balls. Sprinkle Parmesan over. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake until phyllo is golden and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes longer.

CREAMY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add oil. Add chicken and cook and stir until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add flour and stir until chicken is coated in flour.
• Stir in mushrooms, ham, green onion, and garlic. Slowly add 1/4 cup milk while stirring. Cook until mixture is creamy, adding more milk if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 more minutes, then transfer to a medium casserole dish or divide into separate small ramekins.
• Wait until the mixture has cooled slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Put puff pastry over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry has browned, 10 to 15 minutes.

MUSHROOM SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. In a Dutch oven, heat butter and 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 4-6 minutes or until browned. Remove and set aside., In the same pan, heat remaining oil. Add onion; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2-3 minutes or until wine is almost evaporated. Stir in stock, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Bring to a boil; cook 3-4 minutes longer or until liquid is reduced by half., In a small bowl, mix flour and softened butter until blended; stir into mushroom mixture until thickened. Transfer to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain; return to pan. Mash potatoes, gradually adding milk, butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper., Spread potatoes over mushroom mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through. If desired, top with additional thyme or parsley.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY MUSHROOM-SWISS TURKEY BURGER PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.
• In 10-inch skillet, cook turkey, mushrooms and green onions over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink. Stir in seasoning, and spoon into pie plate. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the cheese.
• In small bowl, stir Bisquick™ mix, milk and eggs with fork or whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.
• Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with more green onions, if desired.

CHICKEN, MOREL MUSHROOM & ASPARAGUS ONE-PAN PIE

Steps:

• If you are using dried mushrooms, heat the stock and soak them for 10 mins, then remove them, strain the liquid and set it aside. If you're using fresh mushrooms, clean them thoroughly before using. Set a couple of the nicest-looking morels aside to decorate the top of the pie, and halve the rest.
• Heat half the butter in a skillet and fry the halved morels for 3-4 mins or until wilted. Scoop them onto a plate and set aside. Heat the remaining butter and gently cook the shallots in the pan with the thyme and bay. Once softened, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min or until you have a sandy paste.
• Pour in the sherry and sizzle, then carefully stir in the strained soaking liquid (or 200ml chicken stock if you've used fresh morels), followed by the crème fraîche. Season well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Add the chicken and poach in the sauce for 10 mins or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the bay, stir through the asparagus, tarragon and fried morels, then remove from the heat.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. The pastry needs to sit on top of the ingredients, so if your pan is too deep, use a pie dish instead. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin, then cut the pastry to fit the pan or dish, and drape it over the pie mixture using a rolling pin to help you. Liberally brush with egg, season the pastry with flaky sea salt, and pop your reserved morels on the top. Bake for 20 mins or until the pastry has puffed and is a deep golden brown. Leave tor rest for 5 mins before serving straight from the pan.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add leeks, a little more salt and stir to combine. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes more, until leeks have lost their crunch, but are still green. Turn off heat.
• Cook the mushrooms separately (work in batches if necessary): Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add both kinds of mushrooms and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in thyme, garlic and parsley, and toss to coat.
• Add mushrooms to onion-leek mixture, and turn heat to medium-high. Add miso and milk, and bring to a simmer. Stir cornstarch and water, add to mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and leave at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, then stir in cream and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread mashed potatoes evenly over surface of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned.

MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Saute the onions in butter in a large skillet.
• When the onions are soft and translucent, add the mushrooms and thyme and suate for a few more minutes, until the mushrooms release their juices.
• Add the seasonings.
• Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and stir it into the mushrooms until it melts.
• Remove from the heat and set aside until crust is ready.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• For the crust, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Cut in the butter just enough to achieve a crumbly mix.
• Stir in the sour cream to form a soft dough.
• Generously dust the dough with flour and form into a ball.
• On a heavily floured surface, roll out 2/3 of the dough to fit a 10 inch pie plate.
• Trim the edges.
• Fill with the mushroom mixture.
• Roll out the remaining dough about 1/4 inch thick (Thicker than normal pie crust) and cut into strips 1 inch wide.
• Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling.
• Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the bottom crust, pinch the edges together, and flute.
• For the glaze, beat the egg and milk.
• With a pastry brush, thoroughly coat the pie crust. (You will have more glaze than you will need).
• Bake the pie for 25-35 minutes, until the crust is puffy and golden.

SAVORY CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and celery; cook until vegetables are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour, poultry seasoning, savory, salt, and pepper. Add broth and cream cheese all at once. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken and frozen vegetables. Pour into a 2-quart baking dish. Place puff pastry sheet over the chicken mixture and brush with beaten egg.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until puff pastry is golden brown and chicken mixture is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.

STEAK AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Heat the butter in a well-seasoned fry pan. Saute the steak cubes until lightly browned. Add the mushrooms to pan and season salt and pepper;' saute until lightly browned. Add the brown gravy and mix thoroughly. Place into the bottom pot pie shell, and place the top shell over the filling.
• Bake until heated through, about 15 minutes.
• Serve with your favorite mashed potatoes and vegetables.

MCGUIRE'S STEAK AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan and whisk in the flour. Add the onions and cook over low heat until they are tender. Add veal stock, red wine, roasted garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and whisk until you reach a slow boil and all the lumps are gone. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Heat a skillet, and then add the olive oil. Add the beef and cook until medium rare. Transfer the beef to a baking dish and cover with the mushroom gravy. Cover with the puff pastry sheets and bake until the pastry is golden brown.

IMPOSSIBLY EASY BEEF, BROCCOLI AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400° F. Grease 9-inch pie plate. In medium bowl, mix beef, onions, broccoli and mushrooms; spoon into pie plate.
• In same bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, sour cream, eggs, salt and pepper until blended. Pour into pie plate. Top with cheese.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

CHICKEN, MUSHROOM AND BACON POT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a heavy-based frying pan, fry the bacon in the oil until beginning to crisp. Then add the sliced mushrooms and soften them in the pan with the bacon.
• Turn the chicken strips in the flour and thyme and then melt the butter in the bacon and mushroom pan. Add the chicken and all the flour left in the bag. Stir around with the bacon and mushrooms until the chicken begins to color.
• Pour in the hot chicken stock and Marsala, stirring to form a sauce and let this bubble away for about 5 minutes.
• Take two deep oven-proof bowls and make a pastry rim for each one by placing a strip curled around the top of each bowl. Dampen the edges with a little water to make the pastry stick. Cut a circle bigger than the top of each pie for the lid, and then divide the chicken filling between the two bowls. Dampen the rim of the pastry again and then pop on the lid for each bowl, sealing the edges with your fingers or the underneath of the prongs of a fork. Cook the pot pies for about 20 minutes turning them around halfway through cooking. Once cooked, they should have puffed up magnificently.

SOUP-A-SIMPLE CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM PIE

Steps:

• Tip: Remember to get pastry out of fridge 45 mins prior to use. Using a large non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of the oil. Gently fry the diced or cubed chicken for approx 7-8 mins until golden brown all over, add a little seasoning as you prefer, if using dried thyme add it to this stage of the cooking to allow time for the herb to release its flavour. Do this in batches, if using a smaller pan. Place a sieve or colander over a bowl, pop the chicken into this to drain liquids and aid cooling. Into the same frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, add the onion, after 1-2 minutes, add the mushrooms and fresh thyme, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour. Once cooked add this to the pre-cooked chicken to drain liquids and cool. Add a handful of frozen petit pois for sweetness and colour. No need to thaw.
• Empty the can of condensed soup into a medium pan. Tip. Keep can! Use the cream of mushroom one rather than chicken as this will enhance these flavours to balance those of the chicken. Using the empty soup can, add the juices of the drained pie filling top up with water to half a tin. This provides additional liquid necessary to turn the condensed soup into a ready-made mushroom sauce. Gently heat the soup and stir the liquid together until smooth. Add additional water to suit your personal consistency preference. Leave to cool.
• Add the cooked and cooled pie filling to the sauce and gently stir coating all the meat. Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 20 cm.) with a lip. Pre-heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7.
• Using a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 3-4mm thick and at least 30mm larger on all sides of the dish shape you intend to use. Cut a long strip the width of the pie dish rim approx 1cm, brush with the egg, and fix pastry strip to the edge of the pie dish. Brush the strip again with egg, then using a rolling pin to lift the remaining pastry over the pie. Gently crimp around the edges with a fork and trim with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze. If you would like to decorate the top, you can use any of the pasty off-cuts to create leaves or shapes, press them onto the glazed top, and re-glaze these, finally, a gentle sprinkle of dried thyme or italian herbs, freshly ground sea salt and black pepper on top. Last, but not least, put a small knife incision or hole in the centre of the crust to allow the steam to escape.
• You are now ready to bake. Tip. If you are placing dish directly on rails pop a tray underneath in case the sauce decides to make an early exit. Place towards top of oven, 30 mins or until the pastry is slightly risen and dark golden brown.