made to share.
Everyone loves PIE
Gather round the table for a meal that’s simple, satisfying and sensational – comfort food under a pastry (or potato) crust
RECIPES PHOEBE WOOD
Bacon and cauliflower cheese pie
PHOTOGRAPHS CHRIS COURT
Pork and bean chilli pie with sour cream mash
FOOD STYLING KIRSTEN JENKINS
Spiced chicken, lentil and coconut filo pie
Easy chicken and vegetable pie
Beef, mushroom and tomato ragù pie
A ragù doesn’t always need to be accompanied by pasta – as this decadent pie shows. With parmesan adding plenty of luxurious depth to the sauce, it’s a knockout that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds
Bacon and cauliflower cheese pie
Serves 4-6
Hands-on
time 30 min
Oven
time 30 min
How do you improve a cauli cheese? Add bacon and pastry, of course! This pie turns a side dish into the main event.
MAKE AHEAD
The pie can be made up to 24 hours before baking and kept covered in the fridge. It can also be frozen (unbaked); add an extra 10-15 minutes to the baking time if cooking from frozen.
Beating a pinch of salt BE A BETTER into the egg glaze breaks COOK down the egg’s proteins and makes it easier to brush on.
• 800ml whole milk
• 1 unpeeled garlic clove, bashed
• 1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 50g unsalted butter, chopped
• 180g smoked bacon rashers, cut into batons
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 50g plain flour
• 80g mature cheddar, grated
• 60g parmesan, finely grated
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 320g all-butter puff pastry sheet
• 1 medium free-range egg, beaten with a pinch of salt
• Salad to serve (peppery rocket goes well)
1 Put the milk, garlic clove and cauliflower in a large pan over a low-medium heat. Bring to just below the boil, stirring regularly, then remove from the heat and strain through a fine sieve, reserving the cauliflower and milk separately. Discard the garlic.