MBE v tigs78 chicken and leek pie challenge

jobbingmusician

I'm still worried that with a pie dish the size of MBE's (he is EXTREMELY well-endowed, you know! ) the pastry will sog into the filling and split. It would be safer to have a mug in the middle than nothing, I think. Hmmmm - off to look around my kitchen and see if anything springs to mind as a pie vent. :cool:

Wirenth

OMG, I've just seen this thread! Brings back memories of MrBE's thread crying for help with his casserole a few months back.

Good luck to both of you and no welching on the photos!!!! :beer:

newleaf

I've never used a pie funnel either, it really isn't essential - especially as your pie is going to have big chunks of chicken and leek to hold the top up.
My other two penn'th:
Pastry
The more confidently you tackle it, the better it will turn out.
Keep everything as cool as possible, ingredients, basin, hands.
Use a knife to cut the fat into the flour and only begin to rub it in when it gets too small to cut. Rub in lightly using fingertips only.
Add the water very gradually - a spoonful at a time. You can always put more in, but if you put too much in you can't take it back out and it's ruined.
Knead gently and handle as little as possible.
If your piece of pastry isn't quite big enough, make sure you roll it out thinner. Don't try to cheat by 'stretching' it, if you do it'll just snap back the minute it goes in the oven.
Good luck - can't wait to see the pictures

Jay-Jay_4

Oh how did I miss this???

Do you know how long it's taken me to read through this? TWO Galaxys!!! :rolleyes:

Mr BE can't you buy a plain egg cup anywhere for your vent? I use a Tweenies one out of an easter egg

Also v disappointed that you didn't roast a chicken Honestly, you just take it out of the wrapper, put it in a roasting tin, put it in the oven for an hour and a half and take it out again... anyone can do that!

I've reserved the laptop fpr tomorrow night.... just deciding whether to get some wine of not ...... it IS a weekday but it's such an important event.... hmmmmm....

Can't wait

mrbadexample

jobbingmusician wrote:

I'm still worried that with a pie dish the size of MBE's the pastry will sog into the filling and split.

I'm still worried about that too!

I have one more shop I can think of to try tomorrow. Other than that, I'm improvising. If only I lived closer to me granny...:rolleyes:

Jay-Jay_4

Just a thought ..... don't know if it will work though

You could use a large piece of raw leek to hold your pie lid up. If you cut it flat at the bottom and top and put it in just before the lid, it should hold up to the cooking without wilting and you can take it out before serving.

What do we think ladies?

mrbadexample

I was particularly disappointed with the cashier (who looked to be of pie-making age) in Boundary Mill Stores - I bought a kettle descaler thingy while I was in there:

Cashier: "Ooo...last of the big spenders!"
MBE: "I only came in for a pie-vent."
Cashier: "A what?"
MBE: "A pie-vent. Holds your pastry up in the middle and lets the steam out."
Cashier: ""
MBE: "You don't make pies, do you?"
Cashier: "No, I buy them, it's cheaper. And easier."

Cheaper? :eek: I almost gave her the website address...

mrbadexample

Jay-Jay wrote:

Just a thought ..... don't know if it will work though

You could use a large piece of raw leek to hold your pie lid up. If you cut it flat at the bottom and top and put it in just before the lid, it should hold up to the cooking without wilting and you can take it out before serving.

What do we think ladies?

How will that let the steam out? I thought that was an important aspect.

Wirenth

I remember my mum once making a pie funnel out of a piece of extra-strong tin foil, which she shaped like a cone and shoved into a hole in the pie.

jobbingmusician

No, it's not vital that the pie vent lets the steam out, you're going to make little slits in the pastry to do that. I remember someone pointed out I'd forgotten to mention that, earlier in the thread.