RECIPE FOR BERRY PIE RECIPES

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Put the flour on a large plate or tray, then add the mustard and season. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over a medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.

Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before tipping the vegetables on top of the meat in the casserole.

Pour the Guinness and stock into the casserole dish and add the redcurrant jelly. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season. Cover the casserole and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning and leave until cold.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush water around the lip of the dish then cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid and press to seal.

Trim and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and re-glaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the centre of the lid.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper. Put the flour on a large plate or tray, then add the mustard and season. Coat one-third of the meat in the flour. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan until hot and fry the floured meat over a medium-high heat. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer to a flameproof casserole dish. Divide the remaining meat into 2 batches and repeat the flouring and browning, adding more oil if needed.

Add the onion to the frying pan, with a little more oil if necessary, and fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add the celery and carrots and stir to mix, then fry for 2 minutes before tipping the vegetables on top of the meat in the casserole.

Pour the Guinness and stock into the casserole dish and add the redcurrant jelly. Mix well and bring to the boil, stirring. Add the bay leaves and season. Cover the casserole and cook for 2½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven, taste the gravy for seasoning and leave until cold.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas mark 7. Roll out the pastry and cut out a lid and a strip for the lip of the pie dish. Remove the bay leaves from the casserole and stir in the parsley and thyme, then transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish using a large spoon, together with enough of the gravy to come just below the lip of the dish. Brush water around the lip of the dish then cut the pastry strip into smaller pieces and place the strips on the moistened lip. Moisten the strips, cover with the lid and press to seal.

Trim and scallop the edge, then brush the pastry lid with beaten egg to glaze. Use the trimmings to make decorations and re-glaze with as much of the remaining egg as needed. Cut a small slit in the centre of the lid.

Bake the pie for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden brown. If you have any gravy left over, reheat until bubbling, pour it into a jug, and serve alongside the pie.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, non-stick saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 8–10 minutes over a medium–high heat or until starting to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan, tip in the carrots and swede, and fry for 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and stock. Season and simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes over a low heat, until the carrots and swede are tender and the lentils have softened.

Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, and let it wilt. Check the sauce’s consistency (see below, Moist, juicy filling). Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200oC (fan 180oC/400oF/Gas 6).

Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add salt, and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Put the butter and milk in the pan and warm through over a low heat. Remove from the heat, return the potatoes to the pan, and mash with the milk and butter, then whisk until smooth (see below, Smooth, creamy mash). Season, then stir in the cheese.

Spread the mash over the filling (see below, Decorative topping). Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

KEYS TO PERFECTION

Moist, juicy filling

The filling should be moist with plenty of sauce, but not sloppy. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water if it’s too dry. Leave the filling to cool before adding the topping, as it will support the mash better.

Smooth, creamy mash

The potatoes are ready for mashing when a knife goes in easily. If undercooked, the mash will be lumpy; if overcooked, it will be sloppy. Mash the potatoes with hot milk and butter off the heat, then whisk with a balloon whisk.

Decorative topping

Spoon the cheesy, seasoned mash over the cooled vegetable and lentil layer. Spread it evenly over the surface, making patterns like furrows with a round-bladed knife to create an attractive, textured effect.

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Chilling time: a minimum of 2¼ hours. Cook time: 5 minutes.

1. Line the sides of the tin with strips of cling film (using a little water to help the cling film stick) and then line the base with a disc of baking paper.

2. First make the pie base. Place the biscuits in a freezer bag and finely crush with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan over a low heat, add the biscuits and combine. Spoon into the base of the tin, pressing down with the back of the spoon to level. Chill for 15 minutes.

3. To make the filling, heat the butter and sugar in the same pan and stir over a low heat until combined. Add the condensed milk and bring to the boil and boil, stirring continuously, for 2–3 minutes or until dark golden, taking care that the mixture doesn’t catch on the bottom. Do not allow to boil for too long or it will become grainy. Add the vanilla extract and pour into the tin. Chill in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

4. Peel and slice the bananas and arrange in neat rounds on top of the caramel. Whip the cream to soft peaks and spoon or pipe it over the bananas, then level the top before chilling in the fridge for an hour.

5. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over pan of gently simmering water. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

6. Remove the edges of the tin from the banoffee pie, peel off the cling film and transfer to a serving plate, slipping the baking paper from underneath. Zigzag the melted chocolate over the top (if using), making sure it’s cool or it will melt the cream, or dust with cocoa powder.

Prepare Ahead:

The base and filling can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Ideally, the pie should be assembled with the banana and cream on the day. However, it can be assembled a day in advance: as long as the banana is completely covered in the cream, it will not discolour.

Mary’s Classic Tip:

* For a speedier dessert, use a tin of ready-made caramel (bear in mind this doesn’t set as firmly).