TARTS WITH TOPS ON, by Tamasin Day-Lewis, Miramax Books, New York, 2004, $24.95.
Having already lustily put the tart to bed in her previous book – “The Art of the Tart” – British author-journalist-TV star Tamasin Day-Lewis has decided it’s time for a cover-up. The resulting book is “Tarts With Tops On Or How To Make The Perfect Pie,” a classy piece of work in which Day-Lewis takes on the pie in all its permutations.
And who wouldn’t love a pie? Pure, solid and occasionally stodgy, but often in the best of ways. As Day-Lewis notes, “Pies are the business.” A tart may be brazen, flaunting its filling, but the pie can be subtly seductive. Its ingredients are embraced and hidden, but the coy wave of the crust and its heated exhalation as it is cut is enough to send its lovers into a swoon.
While most Americans immediately think “apple” when pie is mentioned, “Tarts with Tops” reminds us of all the wonderful riffs there are on the basic filled-pastry theme. Europeans are especially notable exponents of the craft of pie making, and Day-Lewis ensures that many of the most esteemed examples of European pie artistry are included here.
From Britain, there are indispensable classics such as steak and kidney pie (and pudding), Cornish pasties and Melton Mowbray pork pie. From France, we get tourte de paques, a delectable mix of eggs, spinach and artichoke hearts; Spain’s north gives us Galician pork and sausage pie, which is as heavy as it sounds; Greece offers a phyllo-wrapped feta, rice and yogurt pie. Heading still eastward, even Indian cuisine gets a somewhat starchy-seeming nod with vegetable biriani with a spiced pastry crust.Then there are those savories
topped with potatoes, which are only pies in name in my book, but terrific nonetheless. There’s a real-deal British shepherds pie (lamb yes, sweet corn no), its sunny cousin Italian cottage pie, and an absolutely mouth-watering cod, smoked haddock and scallop pie, defiantly without tomatoes or cheese in the sauce – just a healthy glug of vermouth.
But I know many of you think pies should be primarily sweet, and preferably served a la mode. Don’t worry. There’s an entire chapter devoted to apple pies alone, and another simply titled “Sweet Pies” – fruit pies, nut pies and meringues. Day-Lewis also tips a hat to America’s pioneering pie spirit by including a chapter solely of American pies, filled with the sort of selection you’d love to have at your local diner, such as key lime, Mississippi mud and New England’s famed blueberry.
“Tarts With Tops On” is perfect for the pie proficient, those with just a rudimentary knowledge of pastry, and even for those who think pies are born in the freezer. Tamasin Day-Lewis’ occasionally saucy commentary and simple instructions ensure that the book is a worthy companion to “The Art of the Tart.” It may not be entirely comprehensive, but is bursting with fresh takes on old ideas, a healthy smattering of the unexpected, and an ability to make you want to grab a rolling pin.
Go forth and get stuffed.
Cornish Pasties
Serves 4-6
1 pound chuck steak or blade steak
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup mixed chopped carrot and turnip
1/2 pound potato sliced thin on a mandoline
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
Sea salt, black pepper
Pastry made with 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup lard, sea salt and cold water
Beaten egg for glaze
Preheat oven to 400 F. Trim the meat of all its gristle and skin, chop it finely with a heavy, sharp knife, then mix it with your hands into the vegetables and seasoning. Roll out the dough and cut it into two large circles, dinner-plate size, or 4-6 smaller circles for individual pasties.
Assemble the steak mixture right down the middle of each circle. Brush the dough rim with beaten egg, then bring the two sides of the dough up to meet over the top of the filling and pinch them together into a continuous scalloped seam. Pierce two holes on top on either side of the edge through which steam can escape, and put the pasties on a baking sheet.
Brush them all over with beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes before turning the heat down to 350 F for a further 40 minutes. Serve hot, warm or cold.
Rhubarb and Apple Pie
Serves 6
1 pound rhubarb, washed and chopped into short lengths
4-6 eating apples depending on size, peeled, cored and sliced
2/3 cup or to taste dark brown sugar
Shortcrust pastry made with 2 cups all-purpose plain flour, and 1/2 cup unsalted butter
Beaten egg for glaze
In a large bowl, mix rhubarb, apples and sugar together with your fingers. Leave for 20 minutes or so for the juices to begin to run.
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pack the pie tightly with fruit, mounding it up in the center in the usual way. Roll out the dough. Cut off a strip and attach it to the rim of the dish, brushing the rim with water first. Brush the strip with water, and cover the dish with the sheet of dough. Drape it loosely rather than stretched taut, as there is always some shrinkage. If you feel like it, use a sharp knife point to cut out diamond shapes. Brush the crust with beaten egg and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Turn the heat down to 375 F and continue to cook for another 20 minutes, when the pie should be golden and the fruit cooked through. Serve warm with cream or custard sauce.
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