Why we love pastry

“Whether you love the soggy, gravy drenched pastry on the bottom of your pie or crispy baked filo on the top, nothing beats the versatility of lovingly made good pastry” – Camilla

A pie would not be a pie without the holy grail that is, pastry. Something that we’ve got a profound love for here at Higgidy. So, considering that this week is the week of love (Valentine’s Day is almost upon us!), we thought we’d shout a little about how much we adore its golden goodness.

First of all, a pie is simply not a pie without pastry – in our eyes anyway, and part of our passion for pie began with the desire to create that perfect pastry; so that you can enjoy something that tastes homemade for supper without having to lift a finger.

Shortcrust pastry is brilliant for its delicious ‘butteriness’ – a strong yet tasty wall that encloses the filling inside. Its versatility makes it practical for almost any pie – sweet or savoury. We also love adding seeds, spices and herbs into the pastry for added oomph – in fact, did you know that all of our veggie pies are made with seeded shortcrust pastry? Sometimes, even adding a little bit of cheese to create a beautiful golden baked colour.

We wouldn’t be professional pie-makers if we didn’t also use puff pastry in some of our recipes. We don’t think we could live without its light but rich structure. Watching pastry puff up in an oven is a work of art, and a sight we love to see (mainly because that means it’s nearly time to eat!). Our teams are consistently working hard to make sure that our puff pastry is just right in our recipes. In particular in our Chicken & Ham Hock Pies so that when you bite into it, you are greeted with beautiful layers of lamination

Filo is wonderful as a lighter option in the pastry world, allowing us to create beautiful decorations that are just as enjoyable to eat as they are to look at. Take our Feel-good Chicken & Mushroom Pie recipe for example; the flaky filo that tops it adds an edge of elegance to the pie, but once devoured leaves the stomach smiling with glee. Beauty is in the pie of the beholder!

If you are a keen pastry maker in the kitchen, we’d always love to see your creations, especially this Valentine’s Day. Do feel free to always pop us an email at thekitchen@higgidy.co.uk or tag us on social media: @higgidy.