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Pies – The upper crust

Historians have suggested pies can probably be traced back as far as the ancient Egyptians. The pharaohs’ cooks incorporated nuts and fruits sweetened with honey in bread dough, which was used in place of modern pastry. Paintings of pies have been found in tombs, so they were evidently popular.

It’s probable that the Greeks actually invented a form of pie pastry. The crusts during this period were made of a flour and water paste which was then wrapped around meat; this served to seal in the juices.

The Romans adopted the pie and used various types of meat in every course of the meal, including the dessert course (secundae mensea). According to records, shellfish, fish and meat were normal in Roman puddings and those puddings were a lot like pies. The popularity of pie spread through the conquered lands along the Roman roads, every country adapting the pie to their own taste and produce available.

The “special relationship” between Britain and America is mirrored in opinions voiced on the subject of pies. Mark Twain in his Complete Works (A Tramp Abroad) offers:

“Recipe for New English Pie

To make this excellent breakfast dish, proceed as follows:
Take a sufficiency of water and a sufficiency of flour, and construct a bullet-proof dough. Work this into the form of a disk, with the edges turned up some three-fourths of an inch. Toughen and kiln-dry in a couple days in a mild but unvarying temperature. Construct a cover for this redoubt in the same way and of the same material. Fill with stewed dried apples; aggravate with cloves, lemon-peel, and
slabs of citron; add two portions of New Orleans sugars, then solder on the lid and set in a safe place till it petrifies. Serve cold at breakfast and invite your enemy.”

But to redress the balance we have:

“ Cold pie is a detestable
American comestible.
That's why I'm done -- or undone --
So far from that dear London.”
(From the headstone of a British nobleman in Kalamazoo)

A short while back we had British Pie Week when plates of pies were consumed with relish (and ketchup and HP Sauce) over the whole of the UK. I felt it my duty, dear reader, to bring you the results of my fact-finding mission, which included pie sampling!

I have munched and sometimes crunched, I have viewed and chewed dozens of examples from large manufacturers, small producers, supermarkets and bakeries. I have discovered some poor excuses for pies but I have also found a couple of gems that I have no problem recommending.

Simple Simon’s Perfect Pies:

These are individual meal pies with a delectable crust that holds up well to baking. The fillings are generous (each pie contains 65g of shredded red-skinned Rooster potatoes topped with the main filling) and flavourful with an amazing choice for vegetarians, fish-lovers and meat-eaters.

These delights are the result of the hard work of internationally trained chef Bernard Alessi. His pies are artificial-additive-free and he uses local produce whenever possible. They are freshly baked and delivered directly to your own front door. Orders received by 2pm will be baked and despatched the following day by courier. I can confirm that the pies will reach you in peak condition.

I have tasted a selection of these pies and I do have a favourite. It’s been hard to decide as they were all amazing. The Haddock Pie with Creamy Leek Sauce should be a prize-winner. The filling was moist but not too liquid. The pastry was tender and the whole pie had a feeling of a luxury meal. I love to cook but I would not feel ashamed of presenting these at a dinner party.

Simple Simon’s Perfect Pies are available at a small number of outlets and by mail-order. For more information visit www.simplesimonspies.co.uk.

Higgidy Pies

This is an astounding success story. A company that has been around for only a couple of years now has 100 or so staff working for them. They need that many as Higgidy pride themselves on producing hand-made pies. Yes, a pair of real hands would have lovingly caressed the pastry and carefully spooned the filling into each and every Higgidy pie.

These pies have a rustic home-made appeal. Each pie is a triumph of both texture and taste. The fillings are of the highest quality, with meat in chunks, sausages that have a marvellous flavour, chicken that looks like it has been pan-sealed rather than boiled. These are pies that you would make yourself if you could be bothered... and had the skill. You could lie and say you did... but I am sure you are above such trickery.

British Beef, Stilton and Ale Pie is a winner. The meat is succulent and the Stilton is introduced as a seasoning and resists overpowering the beefy flavour. The crust retains the generous filling on heating so each individual meal pie remains attractive.

My first choice from the Higgidy pie range is Free Range Pork Sausage and Mash. This sounds a strange pie filling and I was dubious until the first bite. It works, dear reader, it works! I think the secret lies in the quality of the sausages which are delicious. It would have been easy to cut corners and use a cheap banger but the result would be a shadow of this pie. I wouldn’t serve these to guests, though... because I’d want to eat them all myself!

Higgidy have an informative and amusing web site at www.higgidy.co.uk