Blog Archive - March 2014

National Pie Week: Turn COOK Beef Bourguignon Into Individual Pies

Posted on 7 March 2014

Tags: Video, recipe, pies

With it being National Pie Week we thought it was high time we cracked out a couple of videos e made with development chef Lyndsay in which she turns two COOK classics into delicious pies. The Beef Bourguignon has been given a shortcrust lid and the Chicken Alexander a simple puff pastry lid. We're serious converts to the Alex Pie in particular - it transforms the recipe into something completely different (but still completely delicious).

Biggest bonus of all: both pies couldn't look more homemade if you tried.

Pie Number 1:

BEEF BOURGUIGNON PIES WITH SHORTCRUST PASTRY LID

Read More

How to Make the Perfect Shortcrust Pastry

Posted on 7 March 2014

Tags: Video, recipe, pies

Often people don't make their own shortcrust pastry because it seems too difficult (or perhaps simply unfamiliar) a task. It's actually very easy - and Lyndsay shows us how in this quick little video. She covers: 

• the ideal ratio of flour to butter
• how to keep your pastry cool
• how to account for hot hands
• how to breadcrumb
• why you need to be careful about the amount of water you add
• how and why you need to ridge (and what ridging is!)
• why you shouldn't add too much flour to your worktop before rolling
• and - lastly - how to roll it out neatly...

Read More

National Pie Week: Chicken Alexander Puff Pastry Pie

Posted on 7 March 2014

Tags: Video, recipe, pies

Make our Classic Chicken Alexander into an awesome pie with a simple puff pastry lid. We're serious converts to this recipe - it transforms a well-loved COOK Classic into something completely different (and still completely delicious). Along with our Beef Bourguignon pies we're pretty set for National Pie Week.

Biggest bonus of all: both pies couldn't look more homemade if you tried.

CHICKEN ALEXANDER PIE WITH PUFF PASTRY LID

Lyndsay's Tip: pick a shallow dish so you can stretch the puff pastry across and it won't sink and touch the pie filling.

Read More