Leftover Pies

Without repeating myself too much (see the Suet Shortcrust Pastry intro), this recipe was born on a late Christmas night. Faced with a mountain of leftovers, I decided to make a pie. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility; you can throw in whatever you have on hand, which is why I haven’t specified quantities. Here’s what I recommend: A layer of stuffing to create a cushion between the pie crust and the filling. A generous spread of cranberry jelly (or mint sauce for lamb, dijonnaise for beef or chicken; you get the idea). Your meat, broken up and coated with thick gravy to keep it moist. For the large pie, I got the idea to bake it in a cake tin from a friend’s mum; it makes life so much easier! As for the individual pies, they’re a bit more challenging. If you don’t have mini springform tins, you can make makeshift cases with foil. As Mary Berry would say, they’re “rustic.” They’re a little fiddly, but as long as you don’t puncture the foil and fill them generously, they won’t leak or collapse. One pie can easily serve two people, so they go a long way.

Leftover Pies
Leftover Pies

Makes 4

Hands-on Time 20 minutes

Baking Time 55 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 portions suet shortcrust pastry (made with):

    • 675g plain flour

    • 1 1/2 tsp fine salt

    • 75g shredded suet

    • 225g unsalted butter (cubed and chilled)

    • 190ml water

    • 2 medium eggs

  • Plain flour (for dusting)

  • Leftovers (for filling)

  • 1 medium egg (for egg wash)

Equipment

  • Scissors

  • Baking parchment

  • Foil

  • Pyrex jug or similar 10cm-wide glass jar

  • Baking sheet

  • Sharp knife

  • Rolling pin

  • Small bowl

  • Fork

  • Pastry brush

Method

1. Preheat the oven

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C (fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5.

2. Prepare the pie cases

  • Cut 4 strips of baking parchment and 8 strips of foil (5cm wide and long enough to wrap around the jug/jar).

  • Line a baking sheet with parchment.

  • Cut off one-quarter of the dough and set aside for the pie lids.

  • Divide the remaining dough into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a circle (at least 5mm thick).

  • Shape the dough over the bottom of an upside-down jug/jar, pleating the edges to create standing sides.

  • Wrap each case with parchment and foil for support, then place on the baking sheet.

3. Fill the pies

  • Fill each case with leftovers, pressing the filling against the sides for support.

  • Roll out the reserved dough and cut 4 circles for the lids.

  • Place the lids on the pies and crimp the edges to seal.

4. Decorate and bake

  • Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush it over the pie lids.

  • Cut a vent in the centre of each lid.

  • Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes.

5. Finish and serve

  • Remove the foil and parchment from the pies and bake for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the sides.

  • Serve and enjoy!

Leftover Pies
Leftover Pies