The Mini Book of Pies. Sophie Conran

      Soggy bottoms are something I detest but, it seems, this is a matter of taste: soggy bottoms have their fans too. To avoid the dreaded soggy bottom of a tart or pie, the pastry case needs to be cooked (blind baked) before filling. To do this, line your pie dish or tart tin with pastry and prick the base a few times with a fork. If you have time, let him have a little rest in the fridge for about 10 minutes, as this reduces shrinkage of the pastry shell. Cover with greaseproof paper or foil and for puff pastries fill with a layer of dried beans, pulses or rice to stop the base from literally puffing up and making it impossible to fill. To crisp the base further, remove the foil and beans and pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes. If the edges look like they may burn, just cover with foil. Finish baking according to the recipe.

      Soggy bottoms can also affect pie tops. A pie funnel will prevent this by supporting the pastry so it doesn’t sag into the filling and boil rather than bake. In addition, the funnel forms a vent through which the steam that builds up under the crust during cooking can escape (this also helps to stop the filling boiling over the edges). To use a pie funnel, place it in the centre of the pie dish before spooning in the filling mixture around it. Cover with pastry in the normal way, making a hole with a knife through the pastry into the top of the funnel.

      Funnels are not absolutely essential, however, and you can achieve much the same result simply by ensuring the pie dish is the correct size for the amount of filling. Pile the filling full to keep the pastry elevated, then cut a small hole in the middle of the pastry to allow the steam out.

       Choosing the right pie dish

      Pie dishes come in all shapes and sizes, from wide shallow dishes to deep pudding basins. Where I’ve not given you a size, you can use any shape you like – all you need to do is use an ovenproof vessel of the right volume. You should allow approximately 350ml (12fl oz) per hungry adult.

      Pie dishes often have the volume listed on the here, but if yours doesn’t you can measure it using a measuring jug. Do this by pouring water from the jug into the dish and counting up, not the other way round! It’s important to fill your pie dish to the top, so if needs be choose something a little too small rather than too big. If you have leftover filling, you can always freeze it and use it for your next pie.

Individual pie, dishes approx. 350ml (12fl oz) each 4 people, dish approx. 1.5 litres (2¾ pints) 6 people, dish approx. 2 litres (3½ pints) 8 people, dish approx. 2.8 litres (5 pints)

       Less is more

      Restrain yourself when it comes to decorating the top of your pie, as over-decorating can make the lid soggy because of the double thickness (keep an eye on your kids here, as they love the decorating bit and sometimes get carried away).

      If this all sounds a little ominous and off-putting don’t worry! These things are easy to get right with the tiniest amount of practice. Everyone should have their own way of making pastry; these are only my personal preferences. As my mother used to say, there’s more than one way to skin a rabbit. Have I enthused you yet? I hope so. It’s easy-peasy. Give it a go.

       Shortcrust pastry

      The recipe here gives the amount of butter, flour, salt and liquid and you’ll need for making 300g (10oz) of pastry. It is best made the day before. First, cut the butter into cubes, then put it into a food processor with the flour and salt. Using the cutting blade, blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the chilled water or egg a little at a time. The amount of liquid you need will always be an approximation, as all flours are slightly different. If it is a very damp day, you will need even less liquid in the mixture. Pulse the mixture until it binds together into a ball. Scoop it out of the food processor and dust it with flour. Form the dough into a thick disc. Cover with cling film and chill for a minimum of 1 hour in the fridge. Allow the pastry to come back to room temperature before using a floured board to roll it out.

      How thinly you roll out your pastry is a matter of preference, and will depend on your choice of pie dish and the type of pastry you’re using. I tend to use a thickness of 3–5mm/⅛–¼in, so if you’re starting out, I would go with this.

       Sweet shortcrust pastry

      For sweet shortcrust pastry, you’ll need to reduce the amount of flour and, once you’ve whizzed the flour and butter to breadcrumbs, add 1 tablespoon of caster sugar. Then pulse until mixed. (See here for the amounts required for making 300g/10oz.)

      Vanilla pastry replace some of the water with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

      Rosewater pastry substitute a tablespoon of water with rosewater.

      Cinnamon pastry add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon with the flour.

       Filo and puff pastry

      I should probably try to make filo pastry. Apparently it is an art form that takes generations of experience to perfect, so I stick to the shop-bought stuff as it’s usually excellent.

      Puff pastry is the other kind of pastry for which there’s no shame in buying from the shops. Making from scratch requires so much rolling and refrigerating that it can seem far too time-consuming unless you are dedicated.