Pies! Surely the colder darker months of autumn and winter were designed simply to allow us to indulge in our love of pies in all of their delicious forms. There are regular closed pies (or double crusted pies as our American friends refer to them), those with a lattice crust, and even open pies like tarts and flans. There are hand raised pies, galettes, pasties and simple plate pies. There are small dinky individual pies. And large family pies. There are those made with buttery puff pastry where the flakes melt in the mouth and crumbs fall down the cleavage. There are those made with shortcrust pastry and sturdy pies made with hotwater crust. In fact there's probably sufficient variety of pies to enable us to enjoy one every day before the Spring Equinox comes around again. Mmmm pies!!
Did Henry VIII eat all the pies!?!?
When this week's GBBO episode, which was Tudor week, challenged the remaining five bakers to make a display of shaped pies in the signature bake it was a relatively easy decision to allow Mr E & I to indulge in our love of pies and pastry as part of the Bloggers' Bake Along challenge. That said the technical shaped biscuits, called Jumbles, intrigued me and the marzipan of the showstopper Marchpane challenge almost reeled me in. I mean, other than Mr E, who doesn't love marzipan!
Now, some of you may know already that I'm a Yorkshire lass and Mr E a Lancashire lad. So when hubby explained that the Tudor Rose was designed to mark the end of the War of the Roses between the white rose of Yorkshire and the red rose of Lancashire (though back in those days it was often displayed as a gold rose) I knew that my bake needed to reflect the two neighbouring counties and the easiest way to define the two counties, in our opinion, was through flavour rather than colouring the pies white and red.
The Lancashire element of our display was inspired by the humble Lancashire Hotpot which is a hearty stew like meal packed with lamb, kidney, a handful of carrots & onions and topped with sliced potato. Living in a vegetarian household, though, this carnivore lover's rib-sticker clearly needed modifying. Our Vegetarian Lancashire Hotpot Pies were layered with sliced potatoes which had been cooked in a vegetarian gravy enhanced with thyme and garlic, carrot & swede mash and quorn mince which was flavoured with onion and thyme. The pie shell was made with a vegetarian hotwater crust pastry which is beautifully robust, easy to make, prevents leaks and therefore soggy bottoms, and is absolutely scrumptious!
We made 4 of these Vegetarian Lancashire Hotpot Pies housed in a hotwater crust pastry, which were shared with my parents. We served ours with a celeriac mash and peas, and proved to be hearty and filling. Just the ticket for a chilly autumn evening meal. My parents warmed theirs through the following lunch time and served them simply with baked beans. It was a delicious meal, and I only wish the light hadn't dropped so early to have prevented me from capturing the colours and defined layers of the filling within.
For the Yorkshire element of our pie display we made Mini Wensleydale Cheese and Caramelised Onion Tarts. The British Cheese Board tells us that Wensleydale cheese has been made since 1150, and so certainly pre-dated the Tudor period. These mini tarts were based on a traditional recipe, Wensleydale Cheese Tart, which we'd thoroughly enjoyed back in the spring. Those had been made slightly larger and were served with a simple green salad. At the time of first trying these tarts we thought that a chutney of some sort would be a great addition to the cheese tart. Whether it's cheese and chutney or cheese and onion, it's such a classic flavour combo and certainly a crowd pleaser. The addition of the onion chutney was certainly a huge success in this bake, complementing the cheese and bringing an extra flavour dimension to these savoury mini cheese tarts.
These Mini Wensleydale Cheese and Caramelised Onion Tarts are perfect either mimicing the petals of a flower(!) or to serve as part of a buffet to hungry guests. They're straightforward to make, and could be made even easier if ready made pastry shells were purchased. The recipe also lends itself to adjusting the size of the tarts, either to individual ones which are perfect for a meal when served with a side salad or a larger family sized one for sharing.
So, lets get to it and baaake!
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These individual vegetarian pies are inspired by the Lancashire hotpot. The straightforward hotwater crust pastry is filled with layers of potato, quorn and carrot & swede mash.
Hands on time: about 45 mins Cook time: 30-40 mins Yield: 4 individual pies
Specific Equipment
4 x Dariole Moulds (ours hold 6 fl oz / 160ml)
For the Hotwater Crust Pastry
- 130g Plain Flour
- 50g Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra for rolling
- pinch Salt
- 37g + 45g Butter, unsalted & chilled
- 75ml Boiling Water
- 1 Egg, lightly beaten, to glaze
For the Filling
- 1 large or 2 medium Potatoes
- 1 Vegetable Oxo Cube
- 2 + 2 Thyme Sprigs
- 1 Garlic Clove (or squirt of garlic puree)
- 2 medium Carrots, diced
- ¾ smallish Swede, diced
- knob of Butter
- 1 dessert spoon Vegetable / Sunflower Oil
- 1 small Onion, finely chopped
- 100g Quorn Mince
- 1 dessert spoon Plain Flour
9. Fill the pies. Use a teaspoon to add some of the mashed carrot & swede mixture. Top with a slice of potato. Spoon over some of the quorn mixture. Add some more of the carrot and swede mash. Be generous, bringing it almost to the top of the pie case.10. Cover with the pastry lids. Roll out the remaining piece of pastry. Use a plain round biscuit cutter (78mm) to cut 4 pastry discs. You may need to re-roll the pastry off cuts for the fourth lid. Carefully lift a pastry disc and place on top of a pie. Use your two index fingers and thumb to crimp the edge of the pastry to seal. Use a paring knife to cut an air hole in the pastry lid. Repeat with the remaining three pies. 11. Bake. Use a pastry brush to paint a little of the beaten egg over the pie crust. Place the pies onto a baking tray and sit them in the centre of the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. You may need to rotate them after 30 minutes of cooking. Once golden and cooked through remove them from the oven, gently tip the pies from the dariole moulds. If the sides of the pies are a little pale, place them directly onto the baking tray and return them to the oven (without the dariole moulds) for a couple of minutes. Serve as desired. 12. Enjoy!
Notes:
a) Use drinking glasses if you don't have plain biscuit cutters b) Once assembled, the uncooked pies can be placed in the fridge after step 10. c) Avoid getting the egg wash over the edge of the dariole mould as this may cause the pie to stick to the mould during the bake, making it difficult to remove it.
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cooked pastry cases are filled with caramelised onion chutney and a simple cheese sauce before being topped with breadcrumbs and more cheese and flashed under the grill.
Hands on time: 30 mins Cook time: about 22 mins Yield: 10 small tarts
Specific Equipment
Mini Tart Tins (ours were fluted and measured 6cm x 2cm)
For the Pastry
- 120g Plain Flour
- pinch Salt
- 60g Butter, unsalted & chilled
- Cold Water
For the Filling
- 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped
- 2 x 25g Butter
- 25g Plain Flour
- pinch Grated Nutmeg
- 200ml Milk
- 60g + 30g Wensleydale Cheese
- Seasoning
- Caramelised Onion Chutney (either homemade or shop bought)
- Breadcrumbs
Notes:
Stacey G
Oh those Wensleydale and caramelised onion ones sound a-ma-zing!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Oh they definitely were a-ma-zing Stacey, certainly one to try!
Angela x
Johanna GGG
I love the war of the pies! These both look absolutely delicious - if only wensleydale cheese was easier to find here! There is something about it that always seems very alluring if only for its name and link with Wallace and Gromit - and now hat I know how long it has been made I want it all the more!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Hahaha, war of the pies, like it, - I'd not thought of it like that Johanna. Ooh it's an absolutely delicious cheese. I couldn't quite believe how long the recipe has stood the test of time for, it's amazing after all of these centuries that it's still going strong. It's such a shame with it being such a regional cheese that you guys obviously can't get hold of it without someone posting it across the otherside of the world! You'll have to make a special journey to ome and try some 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting Johnanna,
Angela x
Choclette Blogger
I've never made hot water crust, though I keep meaning to try it. Your pies look amazing - very smartly done. The Wensleydale tarts sound thoroughly delicious. You can add me as another marzipan fan to make a trio 😉
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Chocolette. UYou rally should try hotwater crust when you have a little spare time - it really is an easy pastry - as lot easier and far more forgiving that shotrtcrust and puff etc. Those wensleydale tarts are amazing - defo my favourite of the two. Haha, there appears to be a few marzipan lovers out there doesn't there.
Angela x
Helen at Casa Costello
Blimey you are incredible! The volume that you manage to make yet still make everything look divine! Unbelievable how many people don't like marzipan - not a concept I understand - I'd have it for breakfast, dinner and tea! Loving the Lancashire Hotpot Pies being a nearly Lancashire lass myself. Thanks once again for joining in with #BakeoftheWeek
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw you're far too kind Helen. I enjoy baking, just like you, and I think when you have a passion for something people always try their best at it.
I know, I can't quite believe people not enjoying marzipan either! All the more for us eh? 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment Helen,
Angela x
Gina
These both sound fabulous Angela... How I wish I could come to your house for dinner!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Hahaha, you'd be more than welcome Gina, though your bakes always look amazing so I may have to come to your house too 😉
Angela x
Kate Glutenfreealchemist
Having had a bit of a mess up on my roulade (although it will be made again soon in better form) and then being away all weekend following pie week, I seem to have got a little out of sync with GBBO!
Good to see you have kept up..... your pies sound delicious and look fantastic. Congratulations on 'Star Baker'!
Actually, I am a bit gutted..... I have been meaning to 'do' gluten free hot water crust for ages and this was a good motivator....... sadly it will now have to wait a little longer!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Kate 🙂 i must admit that it can be quite difficult sometimes keeping up with the themed bakes each week. Once or twice I've had to second guess what the show is going to have the bakers make and bake ahead of time because of activities we've had planned which clash with my usual routine. I must admit I do enjoy baking along with GBBO, no doubt like you Kate, as it challenges me to try things I may not have done before. Ooh gluten free hotwatercrust certainly sounds like one of those chalenges. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for when you tackle it 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comments Kate,
Angela x
Mandy
What a clever idea! I am always so impressed with your creativity Angela. I think I'd love both of these pies equally. Annoyingly my kids aren't very keen on pies so I don't make them very much these days. But I think it's high time they were convinced otherwise so must start making some of your lovely recipes x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Mandy, that's so lovely of you to say 🙂 I think Mr E & I must have been weened on pastry and that's why we both enjoy it so much!
Angela x
Mandy Mazliah
My kids like the pastry Angela, it's the fillings they're not than keen on. If they can pick the pastry off and just eat that then they're happy enough but I'm not sure how good it is for them to do that!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
To be honest, I was similar when I was young. My mum would exasperate when I picked out the onion and various other things from the meals she lovingly made for us. But yes, I completely agree just allowing your children to eat the pastry element of a pie won't be a great meal nutritionally.
Angela x
Amanda
I think Sam is one of the few Yorkshire men who doesn't like a pie! X
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Hahaha, now that is rare 😉
Angela x
Vicki Montague
These look amazing! Well done. I've never made hot water crust pastry...I've no idea why. I guess I'm not really a pie type but yours do look incredible and make me want to have a go!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thankyou Vicki 🙂 I actually only tried making hotwater crust for the first time last year, with some vegetarian 'pork' pies. It really is an easy pastry to make Vicki, probably a good one for the children to try to play with too because it feels nice in the hand. I really do enjoy making (and eating) pastry, though I think that stems form making it a lot when I was small with my mum and having naturally cold hands. I recall making an apple pie at secondary school when I was about 14 and the teacher saying that it looked like it should be in a shop window. That really encouraged me on (well I still recall the comment to this day). I guess though if you don't really enjoy pie much then it doesn't encourage you to work with pastry much.
Thanks for your lovely comment Vicki,
Angela x
Eb Gargano
Wow - what a fab idea, Angela - I love it. The whole Lancashire / Yorkshire Tudor Rose thing - genius. And your pies sound so good, I especially love the idea of the Lancashire one (sorry!) I'm a huge fan of Lancashire Hotpot - my Mum's family on her Dad's side come from Lancashire and she has some great stories about Lancashire hotpots, not to mention a good recipe! Eb x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
I must admit I've never tried a Lancashire hot pot, but I can imagine that they are delicious and perfect for the colder says. That said I used to love it when mum used to make a stew and put sliced potatoes in it. The potatoes used to taste absolutely amazing once they were cooked through and had picked up all of those amazing flavours. Even the vegetarian friendly ones I cooked to layer up in our pies tasted soooo good.
I'll let you off prefering the Lancashire oness Eb seen as your Grandad's family hails from that side of the Pennine hills 😉
Thanks for your lovely comments Eb,
Angela x
Jenny
anyone would think you like making and eating pies Angela? These pies look amazing like seriously I would love to bite into them! The colour of the pastry is divine, the fillings sound glorious, and best of all I LOVE your theme and the reasons behind it. Deeeeeelish! thank you for joining in xx
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Where on earth do you get that idea from Jenny 😉
Awe thank you Jenny, I must admit I do enjoy eating and making pies. I love working with pastry, and I think the comfort element of pies (in all of their guises) really can't be underestimated. Mum used to make pies a lot when I was young, as did Mr E's mum and grandma. Love em 🙂 Ah, yes, the theme of our pies, for us it was a no brainer to work on the Yorkshire and Lancashire element of Tudor week, though I would have loved to have been able to shape them like a Tudor Rose, but alas our Elizabethan shops no longer sell Tudor Rose pie moulds 😉
Thanks for your lovely comments Jenny,
Angela x
Anne Stone
Oh wow I'm so impressed. I really love pies, I've pinned these for later for sure. I have to try your Wensleydale tarts, now preferably, I'm drooling! #GBBObloggers2016
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Hahaha, I must confess that I ate two of those Wensleydale tarts whilst taking the photos, they just kept winking at me enticing me to take a bite 🙂
Thank you for your lovely comment Anne,
Angela x
Corina
Both pies look gorgeous although I would especially like the Wenslydale ones! I'm also a Yorkshire lass although as Mr SearchingforSpice is from Surrey I've ended up living a long way from Yorkshire! He doesn't appreciate pies or marzipan although I do sometimes inflict them upon him. Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Huh! He doesn't appreciate pies or marzipan! It's bad enough that Mr E doesn't care for marzipan, but Mr SearchingforSpice not liking pies either! Heck! 😉 The wensleydale one is particularly good, easy and flavoursome...just tell Mr SearchingforSpice that it's a tart rather than a pie 😉
Angela x
Anca
The pies look amazing, well baked, they must have been a delight.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
They certainly were Anca 🙂
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
OMG another seriously good looking bake from you. Your pies and tarts look amazing and the wensleydale and onion tarts sound delicious.
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Jacqueline 🙂 You must try those Wensleydale & onion tarts, they're so delicious and packed with flavour....and so easy to make too.
Thank you again for your lovely comment,
Angela x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I thought you might get star baker for these and I was right. Well done
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Hahaha, Thank you Jacqueline, you're a clever lady 🙂
Nico @ yumsome
"where the flakes melt in the mouth and crumbs fall down the cleavage" - Yes! Ha ha ha!
As for Mr E not liking marzipan... what madness is this? How does he feel about Marmite?
As someone who has a long maternal ancestry from North Yorkshire (Google the Neville family if you're interested), I always feel a special connection with that part of the world. One day, if I ever return to the UK to live, I'd really like to be somewhere around the Hawes - Aysgarth area, or even Middleham. I think Crackpot would probably be quite apt though! LOL!
Your pies look smashing - I do love a good pie. And I could easily make these vegan, even the Yorkshire one. Gosh, my tummy is rumbling now!
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Haha, I know, it's part of the fun of eating puff pastry isn't it 🙂 I must confess that we don't buy Marmite, I don't think I've ever tried it, though I believe Mr E doesn't care for it. Given that he doesn't like marzipan it means there is more for me....I just loooove the stuff!
Ooh wow, I've just googled Neville family. That certainly is some connection Nico, I take it you've been around all of the key locations then? Hahaha, I love that name Crackpot. It's such a beautiful part of the world. My grandma was born in North Yorkshire too (we live in West Yorkshire) and have been to the village and property where she was born. It was lovely to see.
Thank you Nico, yes they could easily be made vegan.
Angela x
Monika Dabrowski
Your pies look amazing! The vegetarian Lancashire pies are my favourite, so neat and pretty looking and full of autumn vegetables:)
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Aw thank you Monika,
Angela x
Jax
Ooh, these look fab! I love pies, but I've never been brave enough to try making them. Pinned this recipe for later. #cookblogshare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ooh you must try making a homemade pie Jax, I'd suggest starting with the hotwatercrust pastry because it's so easy to make and use....plus you don't get a soggy bottom with it!
Thanks for pinning,
Angela x
Louise Fairweather
Oh these are fantastic! Love the sound of the Wenslydale ones. x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Louise 🙂 Those wensleydale ones were amazing, so much flavour and a doddle to make!
Angela x