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Savory pies
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| In order to make a good impression at lunchtime or dinner, there's nothing better than a savory pie when it comes to delighting even the most discriminating palates. Any season is the right season for serving them as a complement or complete meal and the choice of filling or the shape is of secondary importance. Served hot or cold, they are a perfect solution for any age-group or occasion. |
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We use the term "savory pie" to refer to all those preparations made with pie dough, puff pastry or even short pastry and filled with vegetables, meat, fish, eggs or cheese. They can serve for any part of the meal, including the main course. With their attractive colors and sliced into little wedges, they can begin a meal, whereas piping hot and full of aroma and flavor, they can be served as a main course.
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If you want to make your own dough, first of all you have to decide what kind you need for the savory pie you wish to make. In general, short pastry and pie dough are perfect when you want a flaky dough that will melt in the mouth, so to speak. The secret lies in mixing the ingredients well, blending the fat into the flour so that is doesn't come into contact with the liquid elements, namely milk and water. Pie dough is made with flour, butter, water and a pinch of salt, blending the ingredients until you have obtained a smooth, even dough. Once made you can immediately use it for the recipe you have opted to make, but it is also easy to keep in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp cloth. Puff pastry is a bit more complicated to make. The same butter, flour, water and pinch of salt is used to create a magical, soft multi-layered dough by alternating a water and flour mixture with a butter and flour mixture. It's important to use a generous amount of flour, leaving the dough to rest so that is doesn't heat up. And always make sure that all the ingredients used are the same temperature so that they will be easier to mix together. The short pastry is made by adding an egg to the classic basic ingredients, i.e. flour, water and butter. If, however, you don't have a lot of time for cooking, you can find all these doughs in the freezer section of you local supermarket. Remember, you have to thaw them slowly in the refrigerator before using them. Which ever dough you have opted for, use it to line a baking tin, making sure you completely cover the sides. The ingredients used to make the filling, frequently vegetables or beef, contain a certain amount of water that is best to eliminate before filling the tin. This way the savory pie will remain flaky and delicious. Bake your savory pie in a fairly hot oven, at about 200° C, making sure you place it on a rack in the lower part of the oven. If you don't eat all of the savory pie, you can store it in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
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Typical expressions of the humble peasant tradition, savory pies are often the symbol of the local cuisine. One of the most famous variations of this dish is the Easter Pie. A dough made from flour, olive oil and salt is used to hold a filling of boiled beets, grated cheese, parsley, marjoram, ricotta, olive oil, salt, pepper and, naturally, eggs. This savory pie, a traditional staple of the cuisine of Liguria, which is a coastal region in North-West Italy, was said to be composed of 33 extremely fine layers of dough, one for each year of Jesus' life. The layers of pastry can be reduced to 9 (6 on the bottom and 3 on top) and they are always very thin. It's no wonder that there is a strong association between these savory pies and the Easter celebration. Today, as in the past, we still find on our tables ears of wheat that have been transformed into bread, herbs, eggs and lamb, the indispensable and characteristic foods of this holiday. The presence of bread has a votive significance, the product of the germination of grain. While the egg also plays an integral role in this celebration because it is a celebration of the renewal of life, an auspice of fertility. Savory pie are draw their inspiration from the egg and bread, using them as their main ingredients. The harmony of flavors that is created with the delicate pastry base manages to render artichokes readily combinable with wine, a marriage that's not always easy to pull off. When it comes to savory pies, artichokes lend themselves to a number of different combinations, starting, for example, with a glass of light white wine, with a fresh acidity, something like a DOC (Quality wines produced in a specific region) Vermentino ligure, with a very defined bouquet distinguished by aromatic notes and an intense flavor. In the case of one particular savory pie, the erbazzone, we have to take a journey into the past to understand the flavors. It is typical traditional dish from Emilia-Romagna in the north center of Italy. Spinach, onions and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese were the principal inspirations for this savory peasant pie. The erbazzone is a perfect dish for any occasion, rich in flavor, appetizing and aromatic. It is a perfect snack or meal, any time of day.
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SOMETHING FOR ANY TIME OF DAY |
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| 4. |
Savory pies are very versatile dishes. If delicate, made from slightly sweet vegetables, like the torta dell'ortolano made with zucchini, peas and carrots, they serve as a fun, colorful antipasto that they doesn't necessarily have to be served hot. It's an appetizing starter that livens up the table, especially when accompanied by a light, fresh, white wine. Savory pies are great for a snack outside or a picnic. The square or round shape lends itself very nicely to cutting into various sizes of portions, depending on the needs of the moment.. Great for either lunch or dinner, savory pies can be served as a middle course accompanied by a light consommé or fresh, tender lettuce salad. The most typical French savory pie is the classic quiche lorraine a complete meal in its own right, made from cheese, bacon, lard, onions and leek. In order to fully appreciate its intense flavor, it should be served piping hot fresh from the oven.
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An important dish, the savory pie comes in a number of different forms: heart-shaped, little tarts and classic pies. Leaving a hole in the middle like a big donut, it's fun to fill the cavity with chunks of vegetables and cheese, raw versions of the ingredients in the filling. If the pie is square, instead of cutting it, you can fold it into a sort of little "bundle", creating a very eye-catching dish to present before your guests. Spinach is very good in savory pies. The sour quality of this vegetable in combination with raisins and cheese happens to go very well with a bottle of Soave with an equally delicate and subtle bouquet. If you want a heartier flavor, then you should opt for a meat-based savory pie, featuring spices and delicatessen meats. This version is just as versatile as the vegetarian ones and you can use just about anything you have on hand in the kitchen. All you need is a bit of imagination and Bob's your uncle.
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