tin/ceramic pie dish - does it matter?

[muppet11]

at the tender age of 41 i am making my first ever pie.....

i am making gordon ramseys cornish chicken pie, not got a clue what is cornish about it but the filling tastes good.

i have made my own shortcrust pastry and he says to put it in a pie tin but i only have glass or denby ceramic so will it matter?

please help urgently, thank you xx

[Zaul]

Just an opinion as I'm no expert (one of them will be along in a moment I'm sure:D) but I can't see it should make any difference-just a matter of presentation really.

[Dolly Daydream]

Personally I wouldn't think it matters either TBH

[Deejay74uk]

Muppet if u do get a tin 1 i'm more than happy to try each pie 4 u to see if there is a difference ......... its that any help to ya :D

[VeryTrying]

Wellllll ....... I've always thought that pastry should go in a metal dish to get the proper heat :confused:

But since you only have Denby, beggars can't be choosers, can they? Let me know how the pastry turns out (because I have a cupboard full of Denby).

[obscure]

I think that if pastry is only on the top it will be fine, hoever if there is pastry on the bottom an sides too it will probably not cook if not in a tin (and/or blind baked) and will be soggy and a bit yuck.

If it is a sloppy steak & onion pie, not a more solid pork pie type then the best option is just to put the filling directly into the dish and just put a pastry lid on it.

I hope it is yummy however you do it :)

[Becles]

The bottom pastry cooks better on a metal tin or an enamel pie dish as the metal will get hotter than glass/ceramic.

However I've cooked hundereds of plate pies on ordinary dinner plates, and they come out fine.

[hydro]

I've made a million pies in both ceramic and metal dishes so can assure you that what I write is correct. :D

Metal is better as it conducts the heat faster - but if you only have ceramic don't worry, just make sure the filling is cold when you put it in the pie. Also, when you cook the pie, place the dish on a oven tray which you've allowed to heat up - this will then conduct the heat better than putting it on a normal rack.

Always, always put pastry into a preheated oven.

If you want a very crispy base, bake the bottom of the pie 'blind', this means pricking all over with a fork so it doesn't form air bubbles and rise, covering with foil (push down) and cover with dried kidney beans - bake for about 15 mins, remove foil and give another 5 mins. Personally, I only ever do this for a quiche or a custard tart when I'm pouring in liquid as a filling, and wouldn't bother for a more solid type filling.

Another tip for when you progress to fruit pies is to add your fruit uncooked (much better flavour) and sprinkle the bottom pastry layer with a heaped teaspoon of cornflour (NOT normal flour) - this soaks up the juices as the fruit is cooked and prevents the base from getting too soggy.

Oh - I feel a pie coming on.............

[muppet11]

the pie went down a treat with my guests (the neighbours), its just a shame that i didnt make enough pastry and had to run out to the shop to buy some ready rolled stuff, thank god budgeons had some!!!!

it was cooked in the ceramic bowl and was very crusty and not soggy at all.

thanks for all your help xx