Filter
Top Products
10
Hints and Tips for Best Results
Pastry Pies
• A wide selection of ready-rolled pastry, such as
shortcrust, puff, butter puff and wholemeal, is
available in your supermarket freezer. These pre-
prepared pastry sheets give great results and are
handy to keep in the freezer.
• Pastry can be homemade or purchased ready rolled.
• Allow sufficient time to defrost frozen pastry sheets
before use but do not allow the pastry to become too
soft as it will be difficult to handle.
• Filo pastry can be used for some pies. Filo pastry from
the chilled refrigerator section of the supermarket is
much more pliable and easy to use than frozen filo
pastry as it can be brittle and difficult to shape.
• Pastry sheets should be kept chilled in between each
use. Soft pastry sheets are difficult to handle and to
cut clean shapes.
• For a more buttery taste, use puff pastry or butter puff
pastry for the pastry tops with shortcrust pastry for
the pastry bases. This combination is ideal for dessert
pies.
• Shortcrust pastry should not be used for pie tops as it
does not rise or brown properly.
• Unused pastry sheets or cut rounds can be refrozen.
Flat pack into a large freezer bag and seal before
placing back into the freezer.
Bread Pies
• Prepare healthy pies in the Pie Maker using bread for
the bases and tops. Most types of sandwich bread
such as white and wholemeal, can be used.
• Do not use thick or toast bread slices as they will
prevent the lid from closing correctly.
• Avoid heavy grained breads as they may scratch the
cooking plates and are not sufficiently pliable for
shaping into the pie wells.
• Cut 4 bread tops and 4 bread bases using 8 slices of
sandwich bread. Position the cutter over each slice
and cut by pressing down into the bread. Do not twist.
Ensure the cut is smooth around the edges.
• The bread does not require buttering before placing
into the pie wells.
Pie Fillings
• Fillings should be cooked and cooled before adding
to the pie base. The cooking time for the pies is not
sufficient to cook raw meat fillings or soften fresh fruit
or vegetable fillings.
• Use canned or pre-cooked fruit, as fresh fruit may
lose juice when heated.
• Pies with insufficient filling will not form a good shape
and brown on top.
• Excess prepared fillings can be frozen or stored in a
covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Be careful when biting into hot pies, especially with
fillings such as cheese, tomato or jam, as these retain
heat and may burn your mouth if eaten too quickly.