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4 B | by Ross Mavis
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GREAT PASTKY
IS NO MYSTEKY

Both savory and sweet, pies are indeed a treat. Imagine serving classic chicken pot
pie to your onboard dinner guests, or getting rave reviews at the next potluck for
bringing a mango-apple pie!

No one really knows for sure when or where the first pie was filled and baked. Some
historians believe the first pies were made by the French while others say the
English. But, from what I can ascertain, in my opinion the ancient Greeks developed
the first pastry with a savory filling. It’s believed the first pies had meat and spices
rather than a sweet filling. Either way, it really doesn’t matter. The main thing is that
pies have been a hit for centuries.

Interestingly enough, pastry for pies was the subject of important statutes originat-
ing in 1268. One of these first laws stated that “whosoever wishes to become a
pastry-cook in the City of Paris may do so freely and openly, provided he knows the
trade, has the wherewithal and keeps to the accepted usages and customs.” Over the
centuries these statutes were modified and became more restrictive. Numerous dis-
agreements arose between pastry-cooks, bakers and pork butchers. All of these
tradesmen accused the others of trespassing on their trades.

A landmark dispute between the pastry-cooks and the pork butchers arose in con-
nection with a ham pie. The ham was cooked as usual and was then enclosed in
pastry and called a pie. It was established by a court of law that “only raw ingredi-
ents enclosed in a pastry and cooked at the same time as the pastry”, could be
considered as pies.

 

This edict puts a lot of so called pies of our generation into dispute. But no matter
what you call them, pastry shells with either a sweet filling or spiced, meaty, savory
interior, baked together or separately, are great. At the end of most suppers, my
mum would often say to my father, “Would you like a nice piece of pie, dear?” Never
just a piece of pie, but a nice piece of pie.

I quickly learned as a young person wanting to bake my own “nice pie” that great
pastry was not as easy as my mum made it seem. However, over the years and with
many failures to my credit, I eventually realized how to take the mystery out of mak-
ing a great pastry.

Basic pastry requires only three
ingredients — flour, fat and water.
Some recipes demand butter instead
of lard, shortening or oil for the fat
and others add an egg yolk to water or
milk for the liquid. There are also
many different types of pastry requir-
ing different techniques. These range
from the multi-layer phyllo pastry of
the Greeks to the Danish sweet-filled
yeast pastry so popular at breakfast,
to the various French pastries for both
sweet and savory dishes. However, an
easy English pastry is one I use often
and enjoy its simple flakiness.

The main technique for its success
is similar to that for a successful mar-
riage. Use a light hand. Only incorpo-
rate and roll out the ingredients
enough to form the dough. Don’t over-
work it or it will be tough! The reward
is legion when properly made. Here’s
my favorite pastry recipe for either
sweet or savory filling.

Great Pastry
2 1/2 Cups white flour
1 Cup butter or shortening
1 egg yolk
Water
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and butter using a pastry blender until the
mixture resembles coarse meal. In a separate measuring cup, lightly beat one egg
yolk with enough water to make a total of 2/3 cup liquid. Add to flour mixture and
incorporate into a rough dough. Mix with hands until roughly blended and roll out
on a floured board. Use as directed in your favourite recipe for fruit or meat pies.
Delicious.

 

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