Steak and Kidney Pie

Cut beef and kidneys into big cubes. In a bowl, mix the meat with the flour. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan and brown the meat on all sides. Do this in batches so as not to overfill the pan. Transfer into a saucepan. Deglaze the frying pan with the wine and scrape with a wooden spatula. Pour this liquid into the saucepan. Sweat the minced onions in the frying pan and add to the meat. Season with the Worcestershire sauce, mustard, tomato purée, bay, thyme, salt and pepper. Cover the meat with water, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 1/2 hour, until the meat is tender. Check the seasoning and let the filling cool down. Sweat the halved mushrooms in a frying pan and add to the filling. Spoon in to a pie dish, brush the edges with yolk and cover it with the pastry. Make a little hole in the middle to let any steam out and make decorations with the trimmings. Brush with a mix of yolk and water to glaze and bake in a 200C oven for 30min until golden.

Rhubarb Raspberry Pie

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the butter diced and rub with your fingers until you get a crumbly texture. Add the water and egg and mix just enough to get a firm dough. Cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for 30min. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 1/2cm thickness, lay it over a 25cm pie mould, push it down and press the edges with your fingers. Line the dough with cling film (or parchment paper) and fill with dry beans. Bake in a 180C oven for 10min, then remove the beans and keep baking until golden (about 15min). To make the filling, cut the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces and add to a pan with the sugar, lemon juice and 1/2cup water. Cook until you get a smooth and thick rhubarb paste. Fill the pie and decorate it with the fresh raspberries.

Fish Pie

Peel, quarter and boil the potatoes until soft. Drain and mash them with the 3 tablespoon butter and 1/2 cup milk. Season well. Cut the fish it into cubes (removing the bones). In a saucepan, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, cloves, bay leaves and 3 cups of milk. Bring it to the boil and then simmer for 10 min. Poach the whole prawns in the liquid for 3-4min. Drain and set the milk aside to cool. Peel the prawns and discard the rest. Boil the eggs for 8min until hard. Cool them down in cold water, peel and cut into slices. Melt the remaining butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1min over a medium heat. Start pouring the milk in gradually, stirring strongly until blended. Cook for 5min, stirring constantly. When thickened, season well with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Heat the oven to 200C. Line the fish cubes and cooked shrimp in an ovenproof dish. Pour in the sauce, chopped parsley and line with the egg slices. Spoon the mash over the mixture, fluff the top with a fork and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 mins until golden.

Cottage Pie

Dice the onion, carrot and celery. In a heavy based frying pan over high heat, stir-fry them until soft (about 4min). Add the meat and garlic, stir for a further 4min until brown. Pour in the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, the herbs tied with a string (bouquet garni), the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the thickened. Season well with salt and pepper.

Boil the potatoes, skin on, until you can easily stick a knife through them. Strain, peel and mash with butter. Stir in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.

Pull out the tied herbs and spoon the meat into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Layer the mash all over it and form peaks with a fork. Sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese and bake in a 180C/350F oven for about 20min, until golden.

Apple Pie

Peel, core and slice the apples, as thick as you want. Mix with all the ingredients. Divide the dough in two and roll out over a floured surface. Line a pie pan with half the pie dough and place the apple mixture in it. Cover with the other sheet of dough, trim and pinch the edges to seal. If you want, use the rest of the dough to make decorative elements. With the tip of a knife make some holes in the dough. Bake for approx. 50 minutes in 190C. The pie is ready when filling boils and starts to bubble through the holes in the dough.

Basic Pie Dough

Whisk the flour and salt together. Add butter and rub with your fingertips, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the water and mix until it holds together when pressed into a ball. Divide the dough in 2 and shape each portion into a thick disc. Chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling out onto a floured surface. This dough can be kept in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for 6 weeks.

Cranberry Pecan Pie

Line a 23cm loose base tart pan with the pie dough. Coarsely chop half of the pecans and spread them over the unbaked pie crust. Spread cranberries over and then lay the whole pecans in a third layer. Leave it in the fridge. In a bowl whisk the flour and sugar, then the corn syrup. Mix in the eggs, salt and vanilla. Blend in the butter and pour the mixture over the pie shell. Bake in a 200C oven, for about 45 minutes. The filling must have set and the crust be golden brown. Cool before serving.

Curried Beef and Vegetable Pies

Cut the meat into small dices. In a hot wok, or large pan, add the oil and then the curry paste, for 2min. Stir-fry the beef, coating it with the paste until browned. Add the fish sauce and coconut milk and simmer, covered, for 15 min. Peel, seed and cut the pumpkin and aubergine into small cubes. Seed and slice the chillies. Add them with the vegetables into the pan and cook for a further 15 min. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Cut circles from the pastry, large enough to cover the tops of 4 ramekins. Chop and add the basil to the beef. Adjust the level of salt with more fish sauce and spoon the mixture into the ramekins. Brush some beaten egg around the borders and place the pastry rounds on top. Brush the tops with egg for colour and bake for 25min, or until golden brown.

Lemon Tart

Line a 23cm loose base tart dish with the dough. Cover it with greaseproof paper and fill with coins, beans or rice. Bake for 20 minutes at 180C, remove coins and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden brown. Bring 275ml water, 100g sugar, salt, lemon juice and zest to the boil. Combine the remaining sugar with the corn flour and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, mix the egg yolks and remaining water, then add the sugar-corn flour mixture and beat well. When the lemon mixture is boiling, pour, a little at a time, over the egg mixture. Do not stop beating. Return the mixture to the pan and let it boil for 1 min, stirring constantly. Stir in the butter and refrigerate for at least 4 hrs. Using a blowtorch, burn the lemon filling slightly before serving.

Shepherd’s Pie

Dice the onion, carrot and celery. In a heavy based frying pan over high heat, stir fry them until soft, for about 4min. Add the meat and garlic, stir for 4 more min until brown. Pour the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, the herbs tied with a string, the stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the thickened. Season well with salt and pepper.;Boil the potatoes, skin on, until you can easily stick a knife through it. Strain, peel and mash it with butter. Stir in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.;Pull out the tied herbs and spoon the meat into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Layer the mash all over it and form peaks with a fork. Sprinkle it with the parmesan cheese and bake in a 180C/350F oven for about 20min, until golden.