Sophie Conran's Pies

Building on the popularity of Sophie's range of gourmet ready-made pies, this book will offer inventive new takes on the classic dish. Recipes include both savoury and sweet, modern and traditional, from classic favorites such as Steak and Kidney pudding to pies for the real connoisseur like Duck with Figs. There are also plenty of mouth-watering vegetarian pies, like Endive with Walnuts and Blue Cheese, portable pies for picnics and little pies to appeal to kids—tested on Sophie's own children. Recipes are equally inventive with their 'tops', which include puff pastry, filo, parsnip mash, polenta and crumble. In a detailed techniques section, Sophie divulges the secrets of perfect pastry-making (with shortcut tips if you're in a hurry), encourages getting creative with pie decoration, and explains just why you might need a little china blackbird poking out the middle of your pie.