to wonder when a pie sudddenly became a casserole with a lid?! ... where's the rest of the pastry?

[Fairylea]

Yes. I am bored.

But seriously I've had several pies in pubs recently and they have all just effectively been a pie filling with a lid of pastry.... where's the pastry round the sides and bottom ?

I just watched them making a pie on daybreak and..... they did the same thing !

I'm outraged.

When did this become acceptable?

I don't like it.

Move? Laugh at me!

YANBU and when that twat on Daybreak said "I just need to cook them off" I nearly threw my cup at the TV. No, you don't cook them 'off', you just 'cook them'!
Why do these twatty chefs always have to say "off" after every basic instruction?
Oh yeh, and back to the pies, a lot of bars/restaurants do them with a lid as they freeze them in the dishes, microwave them and pop the pastry lid on the top, which is why they often aren't even attached IYSWIM?

I guess I'm in a minority, I much prefer top crust pies, and make them at home like that, way too much pastry otherwise, and gross pastry at that - mind you I don't order them in a pub because they won't be pies for sure as people say the top is cooked seperately.

What about shepherds pie - why don't you expect a layer of mash all around the bottom?

I suppose I can understand it more at home but if I'm paying good money for a posh pie in a pub etc then I expect them to make it a proper pie with pastry all the way round... otherwise I'm just disappointed.

(Judgemental oldish woman).

I'm sorry...but..."pie party"???

That sounds awesome

I like soggy pastry from the bottom. However I say it is still a pie if it just has a top but the top must be integral to the whole. Not added separately.

Depite not eating pie I love this thread.
Comparing to shepherd's pie is not valid, that has always been that way. Implication being shepherds are lazy chefs right from the start

It takes 30-40 minutes to cook a pie and 10 min to blast some puff pastry and microwave a dish of frozen meat.

That is lazy.

I make casseroles without these silly lids, but I also make my own pies and lattices, it doesn't take much more effort to finish them surely?

I was once served one of these "pies" in a Hilton, big group of us from work & a lot of us ordered the same. It arrived minus the pastry, and rather than admit they forgot/ran out they brazened it out like we were some sort of plebs for expecting pastry with pie . Did make us giggle though & suggest they altered the menu to say stew instead.

You are absolutely not being unreasonable.

There's a ridiculously overpriced 'gastro' pub that we have to go to when we visit some friends who make a big song and dance about their 'pie of the day'. They are not pies, they are watery, molten lava-like stews with puffy pastry lids.

I'm no masterchef but I can make delicious proper pies with shortcrust pastry at home. And my bottoms aren't soggy. And you don't have to blind bake them.

We used to call it lazy pie. It meant we were forewarned if Nanny either didn't have enough flour, or was feeling lazy. Otherwise we'd have a whole pie, with pastry top and bottom.
Yanbu.

YANBU
But I do not like pastry so I like pies with just a lid. But if you order a pie in a restaurant you should your money's worth and have a proper pie - not stew with a lid.

I have done it, sometimes it adds bulk when children have dragged home extra friends...."nahhhhhh, it'll be fine there's always loads!" ...when you have just made a casserole.

but yes, a real pie should have a top and a bottom, it's only decent.

Ooh, Quenelle, what's your secret for not baking blind and not having a soggy bottom?

YANBU but I do prefer if for a steak pie with lots of gravy to just have a puff pastry top but that top must be baked with the pie so the top of it is crispy and the bottom nice and soggy full of gravy. Had this for dinner last Sunday, yum!

And who is now planning a 'pie party'?

Think mine will have to be the middle of November

I know it's sweet but apple pie is always cooked with pastry all round - and mincemeat pies as well.

I agree. A pie has pastry all round it.

Some pubs (there's one near Bishopbriggs) offer chicken and leek pie and it's more like a quiche with pastry at sides and bottom but open on top!

HeathRobinson nothing special that I do, I'm sure. I suspect it might be the dish. I use a Pyrex pie plate. And I roll the pastry quite thin.

How can you have a slice of cold pie the next day if it's just goop with a puff lid?

Won't somebody think of the leftovers!

But, but, but... what about when you buy a pie and it's nearly all pastry and very little filling?! I now have to buy two "family-sized pies" because it's lies that a serving is 1/4 of a pie. I would agree that the amount of pastry would serve 4, but not the filling!

Ah, I see my mistake. The word "buy".

You can stab it lots with a fork too, but rolling it thin as well as stabbing works well. Or leave it to sit for a bit before sticking the filling in.

If two crusts are required to be a pie, then what about pies with no lid?

Chocolate cream, pumpkin, some apple...no top crust.

So what is it then?

Tarts or flans

If you bake a pie on the bottom of your oven you're pretty much guaranteed a non soggy bottom. I have had lots of experience cooking for yorkshire -greedy- husband. Also Hairy bikers chicken and leek pie is the tits.