vegetable pie

[mrsflibble]

I'm doing a store cupboard clear out week and am planning on a vegetable (and possibly left over chicken) pie tonight, but do I cook the veg before putting it in the pie?!
if it's plain veg I'm planning on adding cheese, but if we've any chicken left I'll put that in and leave out the cheese.

also, what pastry do I use? shortcrust? raised crust? (that's gonna be hard, not got and lard or shortening), puff? short on bottom, puff on top?! I'm having such a bad brain day I just can't seem to work it out!!!

thanks for any help.

[MKG]

Right - as soon as I say this, I know that someone else will come along and say differently (i.e. it doesn't really matter as long as you bear in mind the different times allowed for cooking).

Use cooked veggies if you're using cooked chicken or if you're using cheese. If you overcook the chicken it will turn into rubber and if you overcook the cheese, you'll end up with stringy rubber and a very wet pastry base. If everything is cooked in the first place, the only thing you have to worry about is the pastry itself.

Pastry - depends if you want it to look good (i.e slice properly) or feel good (i.e. really crumbly). I don't care if the pies fall to bits in the seerving, so I always use short pastry. If you're a "must be able to deliver a complete slice" person, use flaky.

[contadina]

Shortcrust or puff or even rough puff pastry are good and saute the veg first (put in pan and make sure all are coated in a little oil or butter) before mixing with stock or cheese sauce or whatever you are using then put in pie tin and bake for around 30 - 40 mins until golden.

[mrsflibble]

thanks guys. MKG I'll be going for the sauce free, slap on a plate who gives a rat's a**e what it looks like pie lol!!!

[MINESAPINT]

How was the pie?

[shell]

just a thought,do you put the pastry only over the pie or enclose it ,i ask as my pastry that i put the filling on never comes out right,do you cook the base first?

[MKG]

You can do either. Some people (like me) enjoy the sogginess of the bottom crust.

If you don't like it, you can make bottomless pies (now there's a concept!), you can, as you suggest, part-cook the bottom crust previously, you can reduce the amount of liquid in the pie filling, or you can use container which is better at heat-transference (metal is much better at this than pottery).