Good Eats

Traditional pies, Alton tells us, are wonderful foods. But they don't fit well into our modern society where folks are constantly on the go. In some ways, those pies are as hard to eat as they are to make. But Alton knows about a kind if pie that's easy to make, cook and store, and that's definitely…Good Eats.

Long ago, pies weren't made in dishes and were much smaller. They looked more like what we would now call a turnover. Almost every culture has some version. But it came to the fore in Cornwall, England, where it became a staple of miners' lunches. A wife would bake such a pie in the morning – if the miner was lucky, half would have a savory filling and the other half a sweet filling – and wrap it securely in whatever was handy. The miner would carry it to work in his pocket. By lunchtime, it might still be warm, but if not, the miner would just throw it on his shovel and reheat it over his lamp. Alton shows us that this type of "pocket pie" is still good today.

The crust of such a pie must be flexible and strong. Flexiblity requires foam, and strength requires gluten. These two goals seem incompatible, but Alton finds a way: the biscuit method. He provides a crust recipe that can be used with any of the fillings. The fat (in this case shortening) is cut into the flour and other dry ingredients. Only then are the wet ingredients brought to the party. Alton explains how to mix the dough and how to kneed it to build the gluten that will hold the pie together.

Once prepared, the dough is cut, rolled very thin, and stacked in the chill chest to firm up while the filling is prepared. The first filling Alton prepares is a mixture of mangoes, brown sugar and a few other ingredients boiled together cooled. A small portion is placed on each rolled round and the edges are brushed with an egg wash. The round is folded over and crimped with a fork – Alton shows how to do this correctly. A few slices to let out the steam, and the treat is ready to be cooked. It's most important not to overfill the pie, or the steam produced by cooking will tear it apart. Sweet and savory fillings work well in pocket pies; Alton provides a recipe for chocolate filling, and another for a pizza filling. Even such things as left-over beef stew will work. Almost anything you can think of can be used.

There are three ways to cook such pies. They can be laid on parchment covered cookie sheets ad baked. But Alton's choice is to pan fry them in an iron skillet and a little butter, or deep-fry them. When deep-frying, don't cut the crust. Instead use the tines of a fork to make small holes; this technique is called docking. Smaller holes will help keep the filling inside while the pie floats in the oil, but allow the steam to escape. Alton explains how your ears will tell you when the pies are done frying.

When they're done, fruit pies can be kept right on the counter for a week or so. Most savory pies – those containing meat fillings – must be refrigerated. Pocket pies can even be frozen for long-term storage.

Alton closes the show by noting the importance of September 9, 1964. On that date, a certain square, fruit-filled, toaster-sized "tart" hit the market, and breakfast was never the same. By cutting your dough into rectangles, and using the right amount of filling, you can make this kind of pastry in your own kitchen.