Fish, cheese or chicken? Ravinder Bhogal’s recipes for warming winter pies | Winter food and drink

When the temperature takes a nosedive, few issues compete with a just-baked pie. Don’t be daunted by social media pictures of excellent, creative ones; a pie will style simply nearly as good whether or not it’s rustically homespun or exactingly adorned and carved. Finally, what’s extra necessary is the integrity of the components (each the casing and the filling). As pastry or potatoes are such a big a part of the equation, spend money on the perfect, and ensure puff pastry is all butter and filo is generously lubricated with melted butter. And, when you’re serving your pie with mash, you need it lump-free, correctly seasoned and enriched with butter and cream.‘Flu-fighting’ filo hen pie (pictured high)That is packed to the brim with components to make you effectively: anti-inflammatory ginger, turmeric and nuts, warming spices and cranberries, that are a supply of antioxidants and vitamin C.Prep 15 minCook 2 hr, plus coolingServes 62 tbsp ghee2 onions, peeled and finely sliced4 fats garlic cloves, peeled and crushed1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely grated1 thumb-sized piece recent turmeric, peeled and finely grated or 1 tsp floor turmeric1 tsp floor coriander1 tsp allspice1 tsp cinnamonNutmeg8 bone-in hen thighs, skinned400ml hen inventory, or hen bone brothSea salt and black pepper100g walnuts or almonds, roughly chopped50g dried cranberriesZest and juice of 1 lemon3 eggs, beaten1 small bunch coriander, finely chopped1 small bunch tarragon, finely chopped75g butter½ tsp floor turmeric6 filo pastry sheetsMelt the ghee in a casserole dish or giant frying pan over a low warmth, then fry the onions slowly for 10-Quarter-hour, till caramelised. Add the garlic, ginger and recent turmeric, fry for 2 minutes, till aromatic, then add the bottom spices and a very good grating of nutmeg – if you’re utilizing floor turmeric, add it now.Add the hen, stir to coat within the onions and spices for 2 minutes, then pour within the inventory and season. Convey to a simmer, then cook dinner, partially lined, for half-hour. Elevate the hen out of the pan and depart to chill.Convey the inventory again to a boil, then scale back for eight minutes, till barely thickened; depart to chill for Quarter-hour. Stir within the nuts, cranberries, lemon juice and zest, adopted by the eggs, to make a wealthy sauce.When the hen is cool sufficient to deal with, pull out and discard the bones from the thighs, shred the meat and stir it via the sauce. Stir within the coriander and tarragon and depart to chill fully (I typically make the filling the day earlier than).As soon as the filling is totally cool, soften the butter and turmeric in a pan and warmth the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/fuel 6. Brush a 23cm springform cake tin with the melted butter, then brush one sheet of filo with melted butter, lay it butter facet up over the tin and push it into the tin to line it, leaving an overhang. Repeat with 4 extra filo sheets, buttering and layering them at completely different angles so the entire cake tin is effectively lined.Spoon the filling into the pastry lined tin, lay over the ultimate sheet of buttered filo to cowl the floor, then fold over the overhanging filo to surround the filling. Brush with the remaining butter, then bake for half-hour, till golden and crisp. Take away and depart to face and relaxation for Quarter-hour, then take away the pie from its tin and serve.Coconut and curry leaf fish piesRavinder Bhogal’s coconut and curry leaf fish pie.A fish pie with a south Indian lilt that may transport you to sunnier climes even when skies are gray.Prep 20 minCook 1 hr 30 minServes 6200g spinach2 tbsp coconut oil1 tsp brown mustard seeds1 star anise½ tsp asafoetida (hing)15 recent curry leaves½ tsp cumin¼ tsp floor cloves1 crimson onion, peeled and really thinly sliced into crescentsSea salt, to taste2cm piece ginger, peeled and lower into julienne strips1 recent lengthy crimson chillies, sliced seeds and all1 tsp turmeric400ml coconut cream2 tbsp tamarind paste1 tbsp gentle brown sugarJuice of 1 lemon1 handful coriander, finely chopped450g cod, haddock or different white fish fillets, skinned and pin-boned 200g peeled uncooked prawns2 hard-boiled eggs, shelled and quarteredFor the topping40ml entire milk40ml double cream1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised½ tsp black peppercorns1 small onion, peeled and studded with 4 cloves1 bay leaf1 tsp floor turmeric 750g floury potatoes, peeled and diced75g butter2 egg yolksFirst make the topping. Put the milk and cream in a small saucepan and drop within the garlic, peppercorns, clove-studded onion, bay leaf and turmeric. Slowly deliver to a simmer, then flip off the warmth and depart to infuse when you warmth the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/fuel 6 and get on with the potatoes.Convey a big saucepan of salted water to a boil, add the potatoes and cook dinner till tender. In the meantime, steam the spinach for the filling in a colander above the pan of potatoes till wilted, depart to chill barely, then squeeze out any extra moisture and chop roughly.Drain and mash the potatoes till easy, then beat within the butter and egg yolks. Pressure the infused milk and cream, discarding the solids, then slowly pour the milk combine into the mash and stir to mix completely.For the filling, warmth the coconut oil in a frying pan on a excessive warmth. Scatter within the mustard seeds and star anise and, as quickly because the mustard seeds pop, add the asafoetida and curry leaves, adopted by the cumin seeds and cloves. Flip down the warmth, add the onions and a few sea salt, and saute till pale and translucent.Add the ginger, chillies and turmeric and fry briefly till aromatic. Add the coconut cream, tamarind and sugar, simmer for eight minutes, then take off the warmth and end with the lemon juice and coriander.Put the spinach, fish, prawns and boiled egg quarters in a pie dish and pour the coconut sauce throughout them. Prime with the mash, then bake for half-hour, till effervescent and golden on high. Serve directly.Supergreens and cheese pot pieRavinder Bhogal’s supergreens and cheese pot pie.The iron-rich combination of greens and cheese is blanketed in filo pastry that crisps up fantastically. Use any greens you want – chard or turnip tops work fantastically.Prep 10 minCook 1 hr, plus coolingServes 6320g puff pastry sheet1 egg, overwhelmed, for the egg wash1 tsp sesame seeds, to sprinkle½ tsp fennel seeds, to sprinkleFor the filling2 tbsp olive oil1 onion, peeled and finely sliced3 garlic cloves, peeled and really finely crushed200g kale, powerful ribs eliminated and discarded, leaves roughly chopped200g spinach250g broccoli, lower into florets, boiled till tender and roughly chopped4 eggs60g pine nuts60g currants, golden raisins or barberries250g feta250g ricottaZest and juice of two lemons150g soured cream1 handful every of dill and parsley, roughly chopped1 good grating of nutmegSea salt and freshly floor black pepperHeat the olive oil in a big pan and saute the onion till candy and caramelised. Add the garlic and, as soon as that’s smelling aromatic, add the kale and cook dinner till it’s softened. Add the spinach, cook dinner till that’s effectively wilted, then take off the warmth and depart to chill.Switch the cooled greens to a big bowl and add the chopped broccoli, eggs, pine nuts, currants, feta, ricotta, lemon zest and juice, soured cream, parsley and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper, then combine completely to mix.Pour the filling right into a deep pie dish – I take advantage of a 34cm baking dish. Lay the pastry excessive to cowl, then press gently throughout the perimeters to seal. Brush with egg wash then freeze for Quarter-hour. In the meantime, warmth the oven to 180 C (160C fan)/350F/fuel 4. Scatter the highest of the pie with sesame seeds, fennel seeds and a few flaky sea salt, then bake for half-hour, till golden and puffed. Serve with a light-weight, leafy salad.