Our Michelin Chefs Cook series puts the spotlight on ingredients handled by expert hands, highlighting the beauty of simple seasonal ingredients and pantry basics and exploring their full potential from the simple to the sophisticated.
Do you know how to make the perfect pie crust, whip up a comforting pot pie from last night’s leftovers, or serve up an excellent dessert pie at a dinner party?
Pies, whether savoury or sweet, are a comforting food that instantly makes anyone feel at home. Beat the wintry chills with a soothing yet luxurious lamb roast pot pie using Michel Roux Jr’s childhood recipe, or go the spicy route with Chef Tom Kerridge’s Indian-inspired pork samosa pie that’s also lighter on the waistline.
If you are looking for something sweet, perhaps you’d like to try that pie with the cult following, the Crack Pie by Christina Tosi. When Tosi first made this leftovers pie for staff meal, it was so good that everyone at Momofuku started calling it Crack pie, for obvious reasons. It was recently renamed to the more sober Milk Bar Pie, but the recipe remains the same. Check it out below.
Unmissable of course is Gordon Ramsay’s shepherd’s pie and Marco Pierre White’s chicken and leek pie in a white sauce - two British classics that everyone should have in their back pocket.
Check out these top Michelin-starred chef sweet and savoury pie recipes.
1. Marco Pierre White chicken and leek pie
Marco Pierre White's recipe comes together in a flash and is perfect for weeknight dinners. It starts by cooking the leeks with butter in the pan over medium heat, then gradually adding the rest of the ingredients before everything gets poured into the pie pan to finish off in the oven.
2. Michel Roux Jr’s shepherds pie
Michel Roux Jr uses leftover roasted lamb to make his family recipe for shepherd’s pie with plenty of garlic, chili, and his secret ingredient: ketchup. Just don’t be too shocked at his tip for getting the perfectly bronzed top crust!
3. Tom Kerridge’s pork samosa pie
Toasting minced pork on baking sheets is a trick Tom Kerridge uses to concentrate the meaty flavour before adding it to the pie filling. His crust is golden, flaky, and lighter than typical pie crusts thanks to ready-to-use filo pastry.
4. Gordon Ramsay’s classic shepherd’s pie
This is one of Gordon Ramsay’s most popular pie recipes. Ground lamb and root vegetables are cooked in a thick gravy and topped off with mashed potatoes and parmesan for added crunch and browning.
5. Momofuku Milk Bar Christina Tosi's Crack Pie
Christina Tosi’s Crack Pie is buttery, sugary, and surprisingly simple to make. A cookie crust is filled with a butter, sugar and egg filling and baked in the oven until golden brown, then dusted off with confectioners’ sugar. Add a dollop of sour cream for extra decadence.
6. Custard tart recipe from Bouchon, Beverly Hills
Here’s a step by step guide to the famous custard tart at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in Beverly Hills by pastry chef Alex Ramos. From making a simple pie crust by hand (you can also use a food processor), lining the pie perfectly with parchment paper, to achieving an unbeatable caramelised top, watch every step in detail so you never make a wrong move again.