Pond Pie Food

WORLD'S BEST SWEET POTATO PIE

Steps:

• Place sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain water, peel sweet potatoes, and mash in a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Mix butter and eggs together in a bowl until smooth; stir into mashed sweet potatoes. Mix milk, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, nutmeg, baking powder, and lemon juice into sweet potato mixture; pour into the 3 pie shells.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a pie comes out clean, about 40 minutes more. Cool pies for 15 to 30 minutes before refrigerating to cool completely, 1 to 2 hours.

TOURTIèRE: A FRENCH-CANADIAN MEAT PIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
• Cut in butter or lard until mixture is a rough crumbly texture.
• Add ice water one tablespoon at a time and mix just until the dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a ball, flatten, wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. While pastry is chilling, prepare the filling.
• Peel and cut potatoes into 2-inch chunks, add them to a medium saucepan, and fill with water until it covers the potatoes by 2-inches.
• Bring the saucepan to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to medium-high and boil until the potatoes are until tender, about 12 minutes.
• Reserve 1/2-cup of potato water and drain the rest. Mash potatoes and set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add olive oil, onions, and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and pork and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off excess fat.
• Add the poultry seasoning, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and reserved potato water. Mix well and simmer for about 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
• Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in mashed potatoes, and set the filling aside to cool slightly.
• Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C
• On a lightly floured surface, divide dough in half and flatten one ball of dough with your hands. Roll dough to about 12-inches in diameter to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
• Place the pastry into the pie plate and add the meat filling. Brush around the outer edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.
• Roll out the top pastry and place on top of the filling. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust and pinch or flute the edges. Brush with egg wash and cut vent holes.
• Bake the pie in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
• Remove the tourtière from oven and let it cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
• Yield: Makes 1 pie, about 8 servings.

FISHERMAN'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Steam fresh spinach for 5 minutes (or thaw frozen spinach completely). Drain spinach thoroughly, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Add nutmeg and lemon juice to the cooked spinach and set aside.
• In a large pot add chopped carrots, celery, onion, white wine, water, and bouquet garni. Bring liquid to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add fish to the top of the simmering liquid and poach for no more than 5 minutes or until the fish becomes opaque.
• Remove the cod from the poaching liquid. Strain and discard the vegetables. Reserve 2 cups of the strained poaching liquid and return to the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Whisk the cornstarch into approximately 3 to 4 teaspoons of cold water to make a slurry. Add to the poaching liquid. Bring the poaching liquid and cornstarch mixture to a boil. Stir the mixture until desired thickness.
• Add the cheddar to the thickened mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Peel and cube potatoes. Place in a small saucepan and cover with salted water. Boil approximately 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain, reserving a bit of the liquid with the potatoes, and mash potatoes to smooth, but not pasty consistency. Add roasted garlic, salt and pepper, to taste.
• Oil a 13 by 9-inch ovenproof casserole dish. Place the spinach on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place the cod over the spinach. Spread the cheese sauce evenly over the fish layer. Top with all of the warm mashed potatoes that will comfortably fit in the dish. Add more grated white cheddar, as desired.
• Bake uncovered in a preheated 400 degrees F oven for approximately 40 minutes or until the cheese and mashed potatoes are golden brown. Remove from oven, and allow to stand for approximately 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

SUSTAINABLE FISH PIE

Steps:

• Put the milk, onion, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns in a medium-sized pan, then slowly bring to the boil. Carefully add the fish into the hot milk, reduce the heat and poach for 6-8 mins, adding the prawns for the final 3 mins. Using a slotted spoon, lift the fish into a mediumsized ovenproof dish, strain the milk and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 min. Gradually stir in the milk on a low heat so that it's fully incorporated into the sauce, then gently simmer for 5-10 mins until thickened. Finally, add the parsley, a pinch of nutmeg and some seasoning. Pour the sauce over the fish, then set aside.
• To make the mash, boil the potatoes until cooked, then drain well. Place the pan over the heat again, add the milk and butter, and mash until smooth. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spoon the mash onto the fish mixture, spread out evenly, then rough up slightly with a spoon or a fork. Dot the pie with butter, then place in the oven for 35-40 mins until piping hot and golden on top. If you want it to be extra crisp on top, flash the pie under a hot grill at the end to get it nice and brown.