Best savoury pies

Pie making tips

No matter the pie, these tips will help ensure your success:

• Choose the right pastry: If you opt for a pastry enclosed pie, make sure you use the right pastry. Classic pie dough, called pate brisee in French, is made from flour, salt, fat and a liquid. Once baked, it should be light, flaky and crisp. For an extra decadent touch, try a sour cream pastry recipe.
• Take care handling the pastry: Roll out your pastry on a cool counter top. Lightly dust the countertop, your rolling pin and dough with plain flour and work quickly, to prevent the pastry from getting too warm. Start with a round ball of pastry and roll from the centre to the outside edges. After one full roll, give the dough a quarter turn and roll again. To ensure the pastry is rolled evenly, flip it over after every couple of rolls. Keep rolling, turning and flipping the pastry until it's a few centimetres larger than your dish.
• Mend any holes: If you get any tears while transferring the pastry to the dish, patch them by brushing a little water or beaten egg on a piece of excess pastry and on the area to be patched, then gently pressing them together, being careful not to overwork it.
• Trim the excess: Use a small, sharp knife to cut off any excess dough around the rim of the dish. If you like your pies with a decorative edge, leave at least two centimetres around the rim so there is enough dough to work with.
• Finish with a glaze: To create a beautiful golden pie, use an egg glaze on top. Simply whisk an egg with a little milk, or cream and brush over the top of the pie.
• Into the oven: Pre-heat your oven and then add your pie onto a rack in the lower third. This will ensure there is enough room for the heat to circulate and set the dough. If it is a particularly juicy pie, place it on a baking tray to catch all the over running juices and avoid them burning in the bottom of the oven.
• Let it cool: Once your pie comes out of the oven, let it cool on a rack to allow the air to circulate around the dish and ensure it is crisp and well set when you serve it. Give it at least 20 minutes before you slice into it to prevent it from falling apart.

Steak and kidney pie

If the idea of making this classic has you worried, never fear – there are a number of shortcuts you can take. Try making the filling the day before, which will not only intensify the flavours, but can also cut down on the work needed on the day. Invest in a quality all-butter puff pastry to use on the lid, and you'll be rewarded with a pie that's hard to resist and easy to create.

• Steak and Kidney Pie
• Steak, Kidney and Mushroom Pie
• Steak and Kidney Pie

Shepherd's pie

The ultimate comfort food, this family favourite is packed full of vegetables, lamb mince and herbs, then topped with a fleecy coating of mashed potato. For a new take on this classic, try swapping the lamb for chicken mince, change the potato for sweet potato or increase the veggie content.

• Shepherd's Pie
• Mum's Shepherd's Pie
• Beef and Burgundy Shepherd's Pie

Cottage pie

A British classic, the cottage pie is similar to a shepherd's pie but uses beef mince instead. Remember to brown the mince well to ensure you have maximum flavour in your pie, and feel free to play around with the vegetables to make it something your family will love.

• Cottage Pie
• Tuna Cottage Pie
• Cottage Pie

Sausage pie

Sausage pies make a great midweek meal that are kind on the budget and can be stretched to feed the largest family. Remember that when it comes to sausages it's all about quality, so avoid using the cheaper versions as they tend to bleed fat into the pie as they cook, creating a thick film on the surface. Italian herb sausages, pork sausages and some of the artisanal beef sausages are some of the top sausages to pick up for this dish.

• Easy Sausage Pie
• Potato Sausage Pie
• Sausage Pie

Beef pie

From the Aussie meat pie to the gourmet steak versions, there's a beef pie to suit all tastes. If you're looking for something different, try adding big flavoured spices to the mix such as curry and chilli.

• Beef Pie
• Individual Beef Curry Pies
• Beef and Guinness Pie

Lamb pie

We tend to think of shepherd's pie when talking about lamb in a pie, but these recipes prove how versatile lamb can be. To make a quick winter pie from leftover lamb stew, place the stew in a casserole dish, top with butter puff pastry, and a glaze and cut a whole for steam to escape. Place in a hot 180°C oven and when the pastry is golden and puffed up, the pie's done.

• Lamb Pie with Spicy Potato Topping
• Welsh Lamb Pie
• Farmer's Lamb Pie

Vegetable pie

Vegetables take centre stage in these tasty pie recipes. Get a lot of the work done ahead of time by roasting up some vegetables ready to transform into a pie later in the week. And for a beautiful sauce, add a simple cheese sauce made with your favourite full flavoured cheese such as blue or gruyere.

• Spinach, Potato and Feta Cheese Pie
• Ratatouille Pie
• Spinach Pie

Pasta pie

While we tend to think of a pie as needing a pastry case, these recipes prove that you can get comparable results with pasta. Here the pasta is allowed to form its own delicious crust, while the middle turns creamy and soft. Serve it alongside a big salad and a bowl of crunchy bread for a perfect pie dinner.

• Spaghetti Pie
• Eggplant Pasta Pie
• Tuna Spaghetti Pie

Something on the side

Team up your choice of pie with one of our favourite sides. For a simple accompaniment, pair it with a green salad and plenty of crusty bread. For something more substantial, opt for a bowl of wedges, or potato puree, which are perfect for mopping up all those delicious sauces.

• Parsnip Mash
• Simple Green Salad
• Potato Puree
• Herb and Onion Bread

Find plenty more ideas for pies in our Pie and Tart recipes collection.