Comfort food comes in many forms, but my favourite oozes in the middle and has a buttery crust on top. Yes, I'm talking about the humble pie. When winter is unkind or you've had a long day, this is the meal I want to wrap my mouth around and disappear in. You can pull one together in a matter of minutes or you can take your time, braising, deglazing, even rolling out your own pastry from scratch, if that's your thing. And if you're craving something sweet after, there's a pie for that too.
Behold, 8 pie recipes to cling to when in need of comfort.
Bourke Street Bakery's Classic Australian Beef Pie
Let's begin where many of us in Australia start our pie-eating experience. Of course, this recipe from Bourke Street Bakery is more akin to your nan's number than one you'll find under a service station heater from Mrs. Macs. It calls for a lot of love, time and attention and involves making your own pastry from scratch. Either way, I appreciate its short crust as the base and puff pastry as the lid stance.
Margot & Fergus Henderson's Fish Pie
I return to this recipe video often. Not because I've ever made the fish pie but rather the joy found in watching Margot and Fergus cook in their London kitchen together. Although, I'm certain that this fish pie rendition sits leaps and bounds above the rest. It's gentle, hearty and robust cooking. More please.
Yotam Ottolenghi's Potato and Spinach Pie
Who said winter comfort had to revolve around meat? Here, Yotam Ottolenghi offers up a moreish take on a classic flavour combination, with crispy wafers of potato and salty cheesy strands of spinach. It's a true crowd pleaser.
Christina Tosi's Milk Bar Pie
Although the name has changed, the result is still the same. This sweet pie is like crack and you have Christina Tosi to thank for that. It's gooey and light, and just like its origin story at Momofuku, this American-style pie can be thrown together with whatever you have in your pantry and fridge. So if you're yet to sample it at Milk Bar in New York City, take this recipe and recreate it at home.
Jamie Oliver's Quick Chicken Pie
Pie are great, we know this. But most of the time they're not the most time-effective meal to whip up. Cue this recipe from Jamie Oliver, the saviour of white, heterosexual single men (and their stomachs). His chicken and mushroom pie does what it says on the box, giving cream of chicken vibes but with a crusty top. In all seriousness, it is just very delicious and easy as pie.
Neil Perry's Beef Pie
Every so often we must eat something green to ward off scurvy and when we do, this is the pie recipe we turn to. It calls on the classic British side dish of minty peas and adds them into the main show. Thanks Neil.
Paul Carmichael's Macaroni Pie
Macaroni in a...pie? I thought the same but when Paul Carmichael speaks you shut up and listen. It turns out this dish is a result of America's influence on Bajan food culture and it's prolific. "No Sunday lunch or Christmas feast is complete without macaroni pie," Carmichael tells Gourmet Traveller. When you taste it you'll see why.
American Apple Pie
I've heard some speak of cherished family apple pie recipes handed down through generations and then there's Amy Taylor from Amyl and the Sniffer's unhinged take. My point is, apple pie is versatile and regardless of how much effort you put in, it's almost always guaranteed to taste hot. Anyway, here's a suite of recipes for you to choose from courtesy of RUSSH's resident apple pie enthusiast Content Director Elyssa Kostopoulos.
