River Cottage Great Pies

This cookbook offers 80 accessible recipes for a variety of pies, pasties, and pastries. It includes foundational pastry techniques and ideas for both sweet and savory dishes, ensuring delicious results every time.

River Cottage Great Pies, with an introduction by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, invites home cooks to explore the comforting world of pastry. The book celebrates the golden crust of pies, the flaky texture of Cornish pasties, and the soft embrace of suet puddings, emphasizing that pastry is essential in creating beloved homestyle dishes. Gelf Alderson provides readers with 80 achievable recipes, ensuring that anyone can reach pastry perfection.

The book begins with a foundational chapter designed to build confidence in the kitchen. It covers essential pastry types, including shortcrust, puff, rough puff, hot water, filo, suet, choux, and sweet pastries. This comprehensive guide allows cooks to master the basics, which serve as the building blocks for a variety of pastry creations. For those pressed for time, the recipes accommodate store-bought pastry options, making it accessible for all skill levels.

Subsequent chapters delve into an array of pies, offering something for every palate. From veggie pies and open tarts to saucy and raised pies, the selection is diverse. Readers will find classic recipes such as the ultimate quiche, traditional beef and ale pie, and River Cottage’s renowned pork pie. Additionally, the book includes delightful sweet options like custard tarts. To enhance the pie experience, a dedicated chapter on sauces, gravies, and custards ensures that every meal is complete. River Cottage Great Pies is a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to create comforting, delicious pastries.