Pies, the ultimate comfort food, are just the tonic as the darker evenings set in. The earliest references to the first recipe here, the steak and kidney pie, appeared in the mid-1800s. For the most part, the art of pie-making can be attributed to both the French and the British. In their simplest form, pies are packed with seasoning and depth of flavour, the caramelised pastry casing soaking up excess sauce and adding the X factor. In their most elaborate forms, pies can be considered works of art, often better suited to art galleries than restaurants. The work of British chef Callum Franklin, and Karen Torosyan of the famed Bozar Restaurant in Belgium, are standouts for me when it comes to the art of pastry and fillings.
The British empire also extended the reach of the pie. Throughout Australia and New Zealand in particular, you’ll find regional variations using local produce. A long time ago, my wife and I spent a few months travelling the long way home, after a year working in Melbourne. Meeting friends in Auckland, we spent six weeks travelling the length and breadth of New Zealand on a large green bus filled with backpackers.
Each night, we would land into a different town or village. Some were picturesque like postcards, others like something from a wild west film. Depending on the nightlife reputation at each particular stop, the budget for dinner would vary. Remember, we still had five months of travelling afterwards. If drinks were on the cards, it was pie for dinner. Thankfully, our metabolisms were still in full flight at the time.
I loved the pride each producer and town would take in their pies. I lost count of the amount of “Best Pie in NZ” signs we passed on the trip. Most used a combination of mince and stewing meat for texture. The sauce was always pasty and thick, highly seasoned and cosy inside a blanket of crusty puff pastry. Eating them with our hands, like sandwiches, you could feed yourself for the evening for less than $5.
This week’s recipes are inspired by that fantastic trip, the people and the places. First up is a steak and kidney pie. I use lamb kidneys here; they’ve a softer flavour than most and bring a real depth of flavour to the sauce. To save you from the idea of eating them, I’ve diced them up finely so they blend in. The stewing beef melts in the mouth and the addition of flour to the sauce will keep it nice and pasty, like I remember. The second recipe uses chicken and mushroom, sitting under a rooftop of caramelised puff pastry. This is cooked in a cake tin or oven dish and can be assembled in advance to throw into the oven after work. Note the high seasoning in both recipes: it’s key. Winter warmers indeed.
Recipe: Steak and kidney pie
Recipe: Chicken and mushroom puff pie
