There is really nothing like a pie!
I think that a pie is the ultimate winter comfort food; endlessly adaptable, comforting, and with a few cheat ingredients very very easy to make. The simplest pie is a pot pie: a pot of delicious sweet or savoury filling covered with a sheet of pastry and baked. Quick and easy, and with only a pastry topping there are no dreaded soggy bottoms.
I can clearly remember both the first, and the last time I made puff pastry – the first was when I was 14 in a Domestic Science (now called Home Economics) lesson at school. The last was several years ago for a challenge. There has been, at most, one other occasion. I think that making puff pastry is a faff, and when you can buy excellent ready made puff pastry there really is no need to make your own.
These simple pot pies need only 4 ingredients, two of which are from the freezer (the puff pastry and the frozen berries). I am a great fan of using my freezer for storing ingredients as well as leftovers and some convenience foods. Like many people we led busy lives, we are often away and our plans can change at the last minute. With a well stocked freezer of freshly frozen fresh food I can pull a balanced meal together quickly from ingredients I have in the flat. Frozen food will last for longer, and modern blast freezing techniques mean that fresh ingredients have their nutrients, taste and texture locked in.
A packet of mixed berries can be used in a fruit pie, in a smoothie for breakfast, made into a compote to top porridge or cereal, or a sauce to serve with ice cream – a simple step towards your 5-a-day – and at £1.50 for a 500g bag considerably cheaper than fresh berries.
Puff pastry is such a useful and adaptable freezer staple, I use it regularly as a base for both sweet and savoury tarts, a pie topping, for sausage rolls, hand pies and pasties. Once defrosted wrap any leftovers in cling film and keep in the fridge for a few days. Ideas for using up any scraps are cheese straws, palmiers, pasties, jam tarts, or cut into interesting shapes with a cookie cutter, bake, then serve on soups or casseroles. Many brands of ready rolled puff pasty are vegan – just check the labels when you shop.
And of course the perfect alternative to a sweet pie is a crumble so you may like my vegan mixed berry crumble. Or my date and orange cake.
- 2 apples - peeled cored and cut into 1cm pieces
- 340 g | 2 cups frozen mixed berries
- 3 heaped dsp sugar
- 1/2 block frozen puff pastry - defrosted
-
Place the apples, frozen berries and sugar into a pan, add a little water. Cover and cook over a gentle heat until defrosted and soft.
-
Remove from the heat and divide between 4 individual pie dishes.
-
Sprinkle a little flour on to the worktop and roll out the pastry to about the thickness of a pound coin, cut out pieces to fit the top of the pie dishes.
-
Moisten the edge of the pie dishes with a little water, or diary free milk and top each dish with a piece of pastry, pushing it down on the rim.
-
Use a sharp knife to make a couple of small slits in the top of each pie.
-
Place the pies on a baking tray and bake at 220C / fan 200C / Gas 7 for 15 - 20 minutes until golden and puffed.
-
Serve with non diary yoghurt or cream.
GET EASY, TASTY RECIPES FOR FREE WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE!
For more ideas on how to use up puff pastry try my cheesy baked bean pasties, pesto and feta pastries, and Jac’s list of 25 vegan puff pastry recipes.
Janie
Fair play to having ever made puff pastry Helen, I haven’t!
Love the look of your pies, I could just polish one off with this coffee :)
Janie x
Helen
It is actually quite meditative, but with the quality of ready made I am not sure it is actually worth the effort.
Emily
These look delicious Helen! Summer flavours but the pie element makes it feel really welcoming for this chilly time of year x
Helen
Thanks Emily, so quick and easy to make.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche
I love how simple these are. They sound so yummy – they’d be great with a pinch of cinnamon too :)
Helen
I thought some vanilla or a star anise too!
Sarah
Helen this would not last long in my house at all. We use ready made pastry quite often, it’s such a timesaver and fruit pies are especially gorgeous.
Helen
I really do like ready made pastry, it makes pies so much easier to pull together.
Rebecca
THAT JUICE! Oh man, that’s how you know it’s a good pie! I love the idea of the puff pastry top – GENIUS!
Helen
Nothing like the juice that bubbles out. There really is no excuse for a stingy filling.
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Today is Pi Day, so I’m taking this as a sign that I need to make this.
Helen
There is noting like a pi!
Kylee @ Kylee Cooks
wow, I love a pot pie, I hadn’t considered making a sweet version! Those look SO good. I want to just grab a spoon and dig in.
And not share.
Helen
Blackberry and apple is the classic combination.
Willow | Will Cook For Friends
I love how easy these are! Pies are so good, but sometimes you just want to be able to throw something together in a few minutes. Puff pastry and frozen berries to the rescue! I’ll definitely be making these!
Helen
I love pot pies, so easy and a well sized portion too.
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)
The mixed berries are beautiful looking, their color really draws me in! These pot pies look awesome! Happy PI day!
Helen
They are a stunning colour aren’t they?
Hannah
This recipe sound very tasty, I’m sure this will be a hit around here. Not to mention I love how simple it is.
Thanks…
Helen
I am all about simple Hannah!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy
I never make my own pasty as even top chefs say the store bought stuff is just as good. So, if it’s good enough for them :)
Helen
Exactly! Life is too short to make puff pastry.