A Day of Pies

Celebrate Pi Day with a full day of delicious pies! Start the day off right with a classic Mini Quiche Lorraine breakfast pie. For lunch, try a savory Mushroom and Cranberry Tart. For dinner, savor a hearty Steak and Ale pie. And for dessert, indulge in a classic Apple pie. We'll provide all the ingredients and steps you need to make each recipe. Get ready to make and enjoy these delicious pies all day long!

This article is in collaboration with Kitchen Stories.

Difficulty: Hard
Preparation: 45 min.
Baking: 35 min.

Ingredients
Servings: 4
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup butter (cold, diced)
1⅔ fl oz water
3⅓ fl oz heavy cream
2 eggs
1 g leek
3 strips bacon
1 tsp sugar
salt
pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Utensils: oven, standing mixer, small tart tins, baking paper, pie weights or dried beans, rolling pin, cutting board, knife, small frying pan, cooking spoon, container with spout, whisk

2 cups all-purpose flour | ½ cup butter | 1⅔ fl oz water | 1 tsp sugar salt

oven | standing mixer

Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F. Combine flour, butter, water, sugar, and salt in either a standing mixer or by hand, until a dough forms.

small tart tins | baking paper | pie weights or dried beans | rolling pin

Thinly roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of mini tart tins, buttered if necessary. Trim off edges. Line with baking paper and weigh down with pie weights.

oven

Blind bake the pastry crusts in a preheated oven at 180°C/355°F for approx. 15 min. Set aside and let cool completely.

1 g leek | 3 strips bacon

cutting board | knife

Meanwhile, slice leek and bacon into fine strips.

vegetable oil for frying | salt | pepper

small frying pan | cooking spoon

Sauté leek and bacon in some vegetable oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper and then distribute among the cooled crusts.

3⅓ fl oz heavy cream | 2 eggs | salt

container with spout | whisk

Whisk heavy cream and eggs with a pinch of salt and evenly pour the mixture into crusts. Use a container with a spout for easy filling.

oven

Bake again in a preheated oven at 200°C /390°F for approx. 20 min. until golden. Allow to cool for 5 – 10 min. before serving.

Enjoy your meal!

Difficulty: Hard
Preparation: 30 min.
Baking: 45 min.
Resting: 30 min.

Ingredients
Servings: 12
9 oz chanterelle mushrooms
7 oz porcini mushrooms
7 oz cranberries (dried)
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1 onion
2 green onions
½ oz chives
7 oz crème fraîche
¼ cup whipping cream
salt
pepper
nutmeg
butter for greasing
flour for work surface
vegetable oil for frying

Utensils: standing mixer or hand mixer with dough hooks, plastic wrap, cutting board, knife, frying pan, oven, cooking spoon, pie weights or dried beans, parchment paper, tart pan, rolling pin, fine grater, large bowl

1⅔ cups all-purpose | flour | 1 stick butter | 1 egg | salt

standing mixer or hand mixer with dough hooks

Add flour, butter, a pinch of salt, and a part of the eggs to a standing mixer. Knead until a smooth dough forms.

plastic wrap

Place dough in plastic wrap, transfer to refrigerator, and let rest for approx. 30 min.

1 onion | 2 green onions | ½ oz chives | 7 oz cranberries | 9 oz chanterelle mushrooms | 7 oz porcini mushrooms

cutting board | knife

In the meantime, finely dice onion. Finely slice green onions and chives. Roughly chop cranberries. Clean and cube mushrooms.

vegetable oil for frying

frying pan | oven | cooking spoon

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Heat some vegetable oil in a large frying pan and sauté onions until translucent. Add mushrooms and sauté for approx. 8 - 10 min. until any liquid has evaporated. Add cranberries and green onions to mixture, stir, and set aside.

butter for greasing flour for work surface

pie weights or dried beans | parchment paper | tart pan | rolling pin

Flour working surface and roll out dough. Transfer to a greased tart pan. Carefully place a sheet of parchment paper on the dough and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake in preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for approx. 8 – 10 min. Set aside.

7 oz crème fraîche | ¼ cup whipping cream | 3 eggs | salt | pepper | nutmeg

fine grater | large bowl

Meanwhile, mix crème fraîche, whipping cream, chives and remaining eggs in a large bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg.

oven

Remove pie weights and parchment paper and fill dough with mushroom mixture. Pour sour cream mixture over mushrooms. Bake in preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for approx. 35 - 40 min.

Enjoy your meal!

Difficulty: Hard
Preparation: 30 min.
Baking: 150 min.

Ingredients
Servings: 6
28 oz beef (chuck roast)
2 cups dark beer (Guinness or Köstritzer)
2 tbsp flour
3½ oz bacon
2 onions
1 clove garlic
2 carrots
9 oz mushrooms
⅓ oz thyme
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp cane sugar
1 tbsp tomato paste
1⅔ cups beef stock
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
10 oz puff pastry
5¼ oz cheddar (grated)
1 egg salt pepper

Utensils: cutting board, knife, pot, cooking spoon, pastry brush, baking dish, oven, parchment paper

28 oz beef (chuck roast) | 2 tbsp flour | 3½ oz bacon | 2 onions | 1 clove garlic | 2 carrots | 9 oz mushrooms | ⅓ oz thyme

cutting board | knife

Cut pot roast into bite-sized pieces and dust lightly with flour. Dice bacon strips. Peel onions, garlic clove, and carrots. Finely chop garlic, onions, and carrots. Wash and cut mushrooms into small pieces. Pluck fresh thyme leaves from the stems.

4 tbsp vegetable oil | 1 tbsp cane sugar | 1 tbsp tomato paste | 2 cups dark beer (Guinness or Köstritzer)

pot | cooking spoon

On high heat, heat up vegetable oil in a pot and fry pot-roast cubes portion by portion for approx. 4 - 5 min. in total. Set aside. Fry the bacon over medium heat until the fat has melted. Add onions, carrots, thyme, and garlic to the pot, and lightly sauté for approx. 10 min., or until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle with cane sugar, and let it caramelize for approx. 2 min. Now add tomato paste and mushrooms and mix well. Add seared beef back to the pot. Sauté for approx. 3 more min. Deglaze with beer and let it reduce.

1⅔ cups beef stock | 1 bay leaf | 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce | salt | pepper

Pour in meat stock and add bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce to low heat and with the lid on, cook for approx. 2.5 hr until the meat is tender. Stir from time to time.

10 oz puff pastry | 5¼ oz cheddar | 1 egg

pastry brush | baking dish | oven | parchment paper | knife

Allow the finished beef mixture to cool down. Pre-heat oven to 220°C/425°F. Fit a layer of puff pastry into a parchment paper-lined baking dish. Allow the puff pastry to drape around the rim of the dish. Add the meat filling and top with cheddar. Cut second layer of puff pastry to the right lid size and lay over onto the cheese. Fold the overlapping part of the dough around the rim and pinch between your thumb and forefinger. Using a knife, cut a diamond pattern into the top layer of the puff pastry. Beat an egg and brush all the exposed puff pastry with the egg wash. Bake in the oven for approx. 30 min., or until the pie becomes golden brown. Enjoy!

Difficulty: Hard
Preparation: 40 min.
Baking: 60 min.
Resting: 60 min.

Ingredients
Servings: 12
8 apples
1¾ butter (cold)
4¼ flour
1 egg yolk
½ tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup water
½ lemon
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup raw sugar
1 egg white
1 tsp water flour (for dusting)

Utensils: stand mixer with dough hook, plastic wrap, oven, rolling pin, parchment paper, pie dish, pie weights, cutting board, knife, citrus press, bowl (large), cooking spoon, pastry brush

1⅔ cups butter | 4 cups flour | 1 egg yolk | ½ tsp salt | ½ cup sugar | ¼ cup water

stand mixer with dough hook | plastic wrap

Cut some of butter into large pieces and add to a stand mixer with most of flour, egg yolk, salt, and sugar. Beat for approx. 2–3 min. until crumbly. Then, slowly add water and continue to beat for another 1–2 min. until dough is smooth and uniform in consistency. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator. Allow to set for approx. 1 h.

flour (for dusting)

oven | rolling pin

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Cut dough into two even rounds. Then, flour work surface, place dough on top, and roll out, one at a time, using a rolling pin until rounds are larger than your pie dish.

parchment paper | pie dish | pie weights

Flour both sides of dough and transfer to pie dish. Press evenly into all edges of dish and then remove excess dough. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of dish and fill with pie weights. Place in preheated oven at 180°C/350°F and blind bake for approx. 10 min.

8 apples

cutting board | knife

Peel, core, and quarter apples. Then, cut crosswise into medallion-sized pieces.

½ lemon | ½ tsp ground cinnamon | ¼ tsp ground nutmeg | 2 tbsp flour | ¼ cup sugar | ½ cup raw sugar

citrus press | bowl (large) | cooking spoon

Juice lemon. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix together apple, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, sugar, and brown sugar.

3 tbsp butter | 1 egg white | 1 tsp water

pastry brush

Transfer apple slices to pie dish and spread out evenly. Cut remainder of butter into pieces and place on top of apples. Cover pie with rest of dough. Make a small hole in the middle, so air can escape. Mix together egg white and water and brush on top. Return to oven and bake at 180°C/350°F for approx. 50–55 min. until golden brown. Enjoy!