Everyone loves a pie. This iconic staple of Kiwi cuisine is such a crowd-pleaser, it's time to super size your baking with these irresistable options that will feed the whole family.
Mac 'n' cheese pie
Outrageously indulgent and not for the faint-hearted, this crazy combination is super popular!
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
200 grams dry cured bacon, sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼–½ teaspoon chilli flakes
30 grams butter
3 tablespoons plain flour
3 tablespoons cream
1¼ cups whole milk
250 grams grated cheddar
sea salt and ground pepper
200 grams macaroni elbows
320 grams ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
Topping
3 tablespoons butter
100 grams sourdough,crusts removed
Directions
Equipment: Spray the base and sides of a 20cm springform cake tin very lightly with cooking oil spray and brush to coat the sides.
1. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the bacon and onion for 10 minutes until the bacon is coloured and the onion softened. Add garlic and chilli flakes and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat the butter in a saucepan until melted. Add the flour and whisk into a paste. Cook over a gentle heat, adding the cream, then the milk in 3 lots, whisking until the sauce is thick and smooth. Remove from the heat and add 200 grams of the cheddar. Season and whisk until smooth, returning to the heat briefly if necessary. Add the bacon mixture and set aside.
3. Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water for 2 minutes less than the package instructions. Drain and add to the sauce. Set aside to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake.
5. Cut strips of pastry, to the same height as the cake tin. As you use these to line the sides of the tin, position them 1cm lower than the top of the tin, so that some pastry is resting on the base of the cake tin. Cut a circle to fit the base of the tin, and press the pastry to join the bits that overlap, to create a stable pie base. Spoon the cooled mac 'n' cheese into the tin.
6. Topping: Butter the sourdough slices and cut into 2–3cm cubes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the filling, top with sourdough and cook for 40 minutes until golden.
Spinach, feta, ricotta, olive and current pie
This is such a magical combination – the iron-rich spinach matches perfectly with salty feta and olives, sweet currants and crunchy pine nuts. Serve with your favourite chutney.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 brown onion, finely chopped
sea salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon each ground coriander and ground cinnamon
⅓ cup each currants and pine nuts
500 grams frozen spinach
½ cup black olives
200 grams feta, crumbled
1 cup ricotta
½ cup grated mozzarella
500 grams shortcrust pastry
1 egg, whisked
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Directions
Equipment: Spray the base of a 25cm removable-base tart tin very lightly with cooking oil spray and brush to coat the sides.
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based pot or deep frying pan and cook the cumin seeds for 1 minute, then add the onion and cook over a medium-gentle heat for 10 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper, then add the rosemary, garlic, spices, currants and pine nuts. Cook, stirring, for a further 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the spinach and olives, cover and cook until the spinach is defrosted and softened. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 10 minutes then add the feta, ricotta and mozzarella.
3. Cut out 2 circles of pastry, the first large enough to line the base and sides of the pie dish and the other to match the top of the pie dish. Line the tin with the bigger pastry circle and spoon in the filling. Brush the lip of the exposed pastry with the egg, and place the pastry lid on top. Seal around the edges with your thumb or the tines of a fork, brush with egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds then pop in the fridge while the oven preheats
to 190°C.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden.
Beef cheek, pancetta and mushroom pies
With tender meat, rich mushrooms and buttery pastry, these are so good!
Serves: 8
Ingredients
⅓ cup olive oil
150 grams pancetta or streaky bacon, chopped into 1cm strips
2 small brown onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1.2 kilograms beef cheeks, cut into 5cm cubes (see Cook's note)
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef stock
2 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
50 grams butter
⅓ cup plain flour
400 grams mixed mushrooms, larger ones quartered, smaller ones halved (I used Swiss browns and portobello)
600 grams butter puff pastry
1½ cups grated parmesan
1½ cups purchased caramelised onions
1 egg, whisked
Directions
Equipment: Before assembling the pie, lightly spray 8 x 12cm pie tins with cooking oil spray; foil ones from the supermarket work well.
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and cook the pancetta for 4-5 minutes until the fat starts to render and it's a little crispy. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon.
2. Add the onions and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes then add the beef cheeks and stir. Cook for 2 minutes then return the pancetta to the pot with the wine, stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, with the lid slightly off so that the stock will reduce, for 4 hours.
3. Use a slotted spoon to remove the beef cheeks from the stock. Chill the stock and meat separately overnight.
4. Heat half the butter in a large casserole dish with ½ cup of the jellied stock. Once it is liquid, add the flour and whisk to a thick paste. Add the remaining stock and stir as it becomes liquid and thickens. Return the beef to the pot, cook for 5 minutes then set aside.
5. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining 25 grams butter with the remaining oil and, in batches, cook the mushrooms over a medium-high heat. Add to the beef. Stir to combine then refrigerate while you prepare the pie tins and pastry.
6. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
7. Cut out eight 16cm circles of pastry and use to line the tins, ensuring it comes all the way to the top of the tins. Divide the parmesan among the pastry shells, then top with the beef and mushroom filling. Divide the caramelised onions on top of the beef. Brush the lip of the exposed pastry on each pie with the egg. Cut out 8 pastry lids and place on top of the filling. Use your thumbs or a fork to seal the edges. Brush with more egg wash, and cut 1-2 small steam holes in the lids with the tip of a sharp knife. Bake for 35-40 minutes until puffed and golden.
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