0:00:03 > 0:00:07You know, we believe that Britain has the best food in the world.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Not only can we boast fantastic ingredients...
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Whoa... There we go, then!
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Outstanding food producers...
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Oh, look at that!
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And innovative chefs...
0:00:19 > 0:00:22But we also have an amazing food history.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- Oh, brilliant!- Oh, wow!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Don't eat them like that. You'll break your teeth.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29SHE LAUGHS
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Now, during this series, we're going to be taking you on a journey
0:00:33 > 0:00:34into our culinary past.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37Everything's ready, so let's get cracking.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We'll explore its revealing stories...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41BOTH: Wow!
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And meet the heroes that keep our food heritage alive.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48It's a miracle what comes out of the oven!
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'And, of course, be cooking up a load of dishes
0:00:51 > 0:00:54'that reveal our foodie evolution.'
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Look at that! That's a proper British treat.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03We have...a taste...of history.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Quite simply... - BOTH: The best of British!
0:01:21 > 0:01:24MOTORBIKE ENGINES REVVING
0:01:26 > 0:01:31'Today's show is a hearty homage to our nation's palatable pies
0:01:31 > 0:01:33'in all their wonderful shapes and sizes.'
0:01:33 > 0:01:37'They're part of our incredible history and national heritage.'
0:01:37 > 0:01:39# Easy as pie
0:01:39 > 0:01:41# Let me tell you something
0:01:41 > 0:01:44# It's like rolling off a log #
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Oh, look at those beauties!
0:01:46 > 0:01:49They're behind a glass cage for their own protection!
0:01:49 > 0:01:54- Oh, Russell, two of your finest with some mash and peas.- Certainly.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56One meat and tatie, one chunky steak coming up.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59When you're a regular, you just know what the craic is!
0:01:59 > 0:02:02- Oh, you certainly do. - Mash, peas and gravy.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Lovely. Oh, look at them.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08The pie! Well, the Greeks, they dabbled a bit with pastry,
0:02:08 > 0:02:12but it was the Romans who sowed the seeds of our pie culture.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Yeah. They invented a pudding of either fish or meat,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and that is the origins of the pie as we know it today.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22And medieval courts, they made pies with very exotic ingredients
0:02:22 > 0:02:24like peacocks and swans!
0:02:24 > 0:02:28Ugh! I prefer chicken with mushroom myself.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Aye, from peacock to pork and apple to cherry,
0:02:33 > 0:02:37there's something beautifully British about the pie.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40'And the first one we want to celebrate with you
0:02:40 > 0:02:44'is a traditional belter, a warm hug that's wrapped in pastry
0:02:44 > 0:02:47'and a real British favourite.'
0:02:47 > 0:02:52Some people...not all, but some people mistakenly think
0:02:52 > 0:02:55that the apple pie is American.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Well, it's not!
0:02:57 > 0:03:02They even say, "Oh, it's as American as apple pie!"
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Well, we were making apple pies in this country
0:03:05 > 0:03:08before Christopher Columbus even learned to paddle.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Exactly. So we're here to claim it back from the Americans,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16because they don't own it. We do.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And this is our homage to the great British apple pie.
0:03:21 > 0:03:26- Now, as two cooks, we've been making apple pies for many years.- Many.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28We've cooked apple pie on telly before.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31But we've refined the recipe. There's a few little tricks and cheats in this,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35and we call this the perfect apple pie.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38We've got lemon zest in the pastry. It just gives it that edge.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42We've put cornflour in the apple mix so it doesn't go soggy.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45We've balanced the cinnamon and sugar perfectly
0:03:45 > 0:03:48so that apple pie will appeal to every single person on the planet.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51We know, because we've worked at it.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54This still is a homage to the Bramley,
0:03:54 > 0:03:55and Bramley is British!
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Buh-ruh-i-tuh-i-huh-suh!... Suh-huh.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03All good pies start with a brilliant crust.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Look, I'm going to get on with these apples, right?
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- All right, matey.- Give us another one, mate, would you?
0:04:09 > 0:04:13The Bramley apple was thought to have been first planted
0:04:13 > 0:04:16by a lady called Mary Ann Brailsford,
0:04:16 > 0:04:21who planted an obscure pip in her garden in around 1810
0:04:21 > 0:04:23in Nottinghamshire, and from that tree,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27which still exists today, the Bramley was born.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31To start our pie, put 400 grams of plain flour in a bowl
0:04:31 > 0:04:34together with the finely grated zest of one lemon.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39Meanwhile, mix two tablespoons of cornflour
0:04:39 > 0:04:43with one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and 150 grams of caster sugar
0:04:43 > 0:04:45in another bowl.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47And now I'm going to peel my apples.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Over to Mr Myers at the bakery section.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53So, in my bowl now I've got the finely grated zest of one lemon,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and the plain flour.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58To this, add two tablespoons of caster sugar,
0:04:58 > 0:05:02and a whole - and I mean a whole - pack of cold butter,
0:05:02 > 0:05:04which will need to be cut into cubes.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08It's lovely. It's a very short pastry, this.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Short means crumbly. Crumbly means buttery.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Buttery means, "Mmm, this is a good apple pie."
0:05:14 > 0:05:16SIMON LAUGHS And do you know,
0:05:16 > 0:05:22the Bramley apple is thought to be the best culinary apple in the world.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It's cheap, and it's massive, isn't it?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It is. It's brilliant. The only thing to watch out for with Bramleys
0:05:28 > 0:05:31is that they hold quite a lot of moisture,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34which is why, you see, we've done the cornflour,
0:05:34 > 0:05:37so if it does leak a lot of juice,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41you've got it, and it just becomes this lovely, appley, sweet gravy.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Moving on with the pastry,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47gently rub your butter into the sugar, flour and zest mix
0:05:47 > 0:05:51until it resembles breadcrumbs.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55The lemon zest is just hitting my nose nicely.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- Ahh!- Now, what I'm going to do is...
0:05:58 > 0:06:00quarter the Bramleys.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Quarter them, slice them thin.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Simple.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Now in here I have got two tablespoons of water
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and one egg, and we use this as a liquid,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17so I'm just going to put this in, and be careful,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20cos I don't want to overdo it. I can always add more.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23It won't take much liquid to form this into pastry.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Right. So there's your pastry.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Now, I want to take...
0:06:31 > 0:06:34..two thirds for the base
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and a third for the top.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40There you go. Make a ball. Don't handle it too much.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44She's there, but she's very, very delicate.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47Wrap this in cling film,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and pop this in the fridge.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53It really would be a bit of a devil to roll out now.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57Now, there's a couple of top tips for handling apples.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01To stop them going brown, put them in some water with some lemon juice,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05and that'll stop the discoloration of the apples.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08But because we're doing it pretty quick,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12and we're going to coat them in that lovely sugary cinnamon coating,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16we should be all right. But don't leave them for half an hour
0:07:16 > 0:07:19and then expect them to be the same colour, because they won't.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25We're slicing these apples, and they're raw,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and they're going to go straight into the pie,
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Don't be tempted to stew your fruit first.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Get it into the pie, and get it in raw,
0:07:33 > 0:07:37so all of those lovely flavours are concealed
0:07:37 > 0:07:41in their beautiful blanket of pastry
0:07:41 > 0:07:45that Mr Myers is doing so well.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47I'm greasing up my dish.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Next, flour and roll out the chilled pastry
0:07:50 > 0:07:54onto a floured surface until it is about the thickness of a £1 coin,
0:07:54 > 0:07:59and five to seven centimetres larger than the pie dish.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02The world of the pie is fantastic,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05and nobody makes a pie like the British.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08In fact, our pies are perfect.
0:08:08 > 0:08:13Well, I think it's a deep-ingrained tradition of making them
0:08:13 > 0:08:15over centuries, and we're good at it.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19Yeah. What started out as, like, a coffer to carry the meat -
0:08:19 > 0:08:22it just used flour and water as a case...
0:08:22 > 0:08:24It was like a ready-made pressure cooker.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27For me, the pastry's as important as the pie.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Absolutely. And you'll see, when we cut into this,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32it's just so wonderfully crumbly and gorgeous.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Now, to get this onto there,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39just dust this with flour so that it doesn't stick to your pin.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Put it like that, roll it up,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44put it on there like so...
0:08:47 > 0:08:49..and line your tin.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52If it's an all-butter pastry like this, a sweet pastry,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55do chill it, because it makes handling it so much easier.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00- Mr King, over to thee. I'll roll out the lid.- Lovely.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02We're going to look like it's slightly over-filled,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05but it's not, because as those apples cook,
0:09:05 > 0:09:09they're going to fall away and fall down
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and lose some of their volume,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14so we need to make sure
0:09:14 > 0:09:17that it's as good and as packed as it can be.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Place the 600 grams of beautifully coated sliced apples
0:09:23 > 0:09:25into the pie casing.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Brush the rim of the pastry with beaten egg
0:09:27 > 0:09:30before putting the neatly rolled pie lid on top
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and pressing the edges firmly together to seal.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Look at that, eh?
0:09:36 > 0:09:38I remember my mother used to do this, yeah?
0:09:38 > 0:09:42- She'd take the pie, and there was this action.- I love this.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45I'm going to make leaves out of these off-cuts
0:09:45 > 0:09:47whilst Kingy shows you how to do a crimp.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- Over to you, maestro.- Right.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53What we do... Like that, OK?
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Then you go push, push,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58push, push...
0:09:58 > 0:10:02While Si's crimping, I'm rolling out the rest of the pastry
0:10:02 > 0:10:04and cutting out individual leaves.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Stick these onto the pie lid with a beaten egg.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- Egg-wash it...- That's beautiful.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17..nice and gently.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22I think this is a prime example of what could be... It's a simple dish,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- it's cheap. This is going to give us ten good portions.- Yeah!
0:10:25 > 0:10:28But a bit a care, a bit of love,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31has turned this into something quite special.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34You put that in the middle of the table after dinner
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- and people are going to go, "Wow!" - That's the thing.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41It's, like, "Oh, it's an apple pie, so don't make the effort." Well, do,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44because if you do, it becomes something else then.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50Pierce the top to let out the steam, and sprinkle with caster sugar.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Right. That needs to go into a preheated oven,
0:10:56 > 0:11:00180 degrees Celsius for a fan oven, for 40 to 45 minutes,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03until baked to apple-pie perfection.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Did you know that the Tudors loved their pies?
0:11:17 > 0:11:21They were so delighted by them, they often sent them as gifts,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23especially at Christmas time.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27In fact, Tudor standing pies were often such extravagant works of art
0:11:27 > 0:11:31that they can frequently be found featured in still-life paintings
0:11:31 > 0:11:34of the Renaissance period.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39Now, back to our own work of art.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Our pie's ready, and it's looking art-rageous.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48- What do you reckon? - Look at that!- Should I?
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Yep.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57You don't need a sharp knife with that pastry, do you?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- Straight through, mate.- Beautiful.
0:12:00 > 0:12:05Now, remember, that's the crust that has the hint of lemon zest.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Oh!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11- Cream, Kingy?- Oh, please.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Thank you.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16A marriage made in heaven.
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Great!
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The texture of the pastry is gorgeous,
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and pastry is about texture,
0:12:22 > 0:12:27but that little hint of lemon zest just gives it a fragrant top note.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30I think the balance of acidity and sweetness,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32which is what we spent a lot of time working on,
0:12:32 > 0:12:34is just superb.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39And this, in our opinion, is the perfect apple pie.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44Served hot or cold, with cream or ice cream,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47this pud truly is the apple of our eye.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52A British favourite that hasn't changed over the years,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54and is still as popular today as it ever was.
0:12:54 > 0:12:59'The next stop on our path to pie heaven takes us to Denby Dale in Yorkshire.'
0:12:59 > 0:13:04We want to show you the most eccentric British pie we can find.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06CHEERING
0:13:06 > 0:13:09Which will take some doing, given our rich history
0:13:09 > 0:13:13of slightly bonkers food-related festivals and events.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Here's one pie that no man could eat alone.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20This pie is like one that you'd find in Alice In Wonderland.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24It's bigger than me and Dave and all our mates put together.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29# The recipe's most secret
0:13:29 > 0:13:31# So if you want to try
0:13:31 > 0:13:33# Then get pen and paper ready #
0:13:33 > 0:13:36The last one of these heavyweights to step into the ring
0:13:36 > 0:13:40weighed in at a whopping 12 tons. Ooh, for pie-ing out loud!
0:13:40 > 0:13:44Usually baked to celebrate national events and special occasions,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46the giant Denby Dale pies
0:13:46 > 0:13:49are part of a 220-year-old village tradition,
0:13:49 > 0:13:53and have earned them quite a reputation.
0:13:53 > 0:13:58The first ever giant Denby Dale pie was made in 1788,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01to celebrate King George III's return from madness.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Great concept! "You may not be mad any more, George,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08but WE are, and we're going to make a truly mad pie to prove it."
0:14:08 > 0:14:11The next pie, in 1815,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14celebrated the Duke of Wellington's victory over the French
0:14:14 > 0:14:17at the Battle of Waterloo.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25The third paid tribute to the lifting of the Corn Laws
0:14:25 > 0:14:28which marked the end of the Hungry '40s.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Oh, a bit like me, then, but I'm going to have to be well into my 50s
0:14:32 > 0:14:35to put an end to my hungry 40s.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39The fourth celebrated Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42for this, the original pie was made with game,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45and actually went off, sending the stench throughout the village.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47I bet she wasn't amused!
0:14:47 > 0:14:53Thankfully, the locals did step in fast to make a second one.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57The fifth, in 1896, was in honour of the 50th anniversary
0:14:57 > 0:14:59of the repeal of the Corn Laws.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03The sixth, in 1928, was a cracking World War I victory pie.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09The seventh, in 1964, celebrated four royal births.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15The eighth, in 1988, was in honour of the bicentenary
0:15:15 > 0:15:17of the first ever Denby Dale giant pie.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20I've never seen anything so big in my life!
0:15:20 > 0:15:23And took over a year and a half to plan.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I'm an idiot, simple as that.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29Not enough time, really, to do all the things,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31but it's quite enjoyable.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34This pie was made in a secret location two miles away,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37and was made with three tons of taters, a ton of onions,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40several gallons of gravy, and three tons of prime beef.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Ooh, and a lot of sleepless nights.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46This particular Denby Dale giant was hailed as the biggest and best ever.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51- Very nice. Would you like a sample? - No. I shall go and queue for myself.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54It's a proud moment. It's an honour to do a Denby Dale pie.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57There's not many chefs can bake a Denby Dale pie,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59and I'm pleased I've done it.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02But that was before the ninth and most recent
0:16:02 > 0:16:05colossal crusted creation came along to mark the millennium.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10Now, this 12-ton monster attracted 30,000 people
0:16:10 > 0:16:12and stole the show.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15The proof of the pie, as they say, is in the eating.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17I have been the first taster today,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21and I was in 1964,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and I was in 1988.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26And it tasted beautiful.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Now, while we wonder what national event will mark the next whopper,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32it's time to leave our Denby Dale wonderland
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and come back to the real world.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38'From the most eccentric one to one of the most popular -
0:16:38 > 0:16:41'our next step will take us to the country's best
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'as voted in the last British Pie Awards.'
0:16:44 > 0:16:47We're heading northwest to Lancashire, to a football ground -
0:16:47 > 0:16:51not the first place you would expect to find gourmet food.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55'It's match day in Morecambe, and they're expecting 5,000 hungry fans
0:16:55 > 0:17:00'through the turnstiles in just a few hours.'
0:17:00 > 0:17:02Oh, Saturday afternoon on the terraces!
0:17:02 > 0:17:05A pie, a pint, a mug of Bovril...
0:17:05 > 0:17:07It's all as British - well, as football itself!
0:17:07 > 0:17:11The Bovril was always too hot to drink. It burnt your tongue.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13And the pie was always too hot to hold.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15I absolutely loved it!
0:17:15 > 0:17:17DAVE BEEPS HORN
0:17:17 > 0:17:20'But as you know, we're not here for the footie today.'
0:17:20 > 0:17:23We're here for the award-winning cuisine.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28These pies are apparently some of the best you'll find in the UK.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33We're here to meet one of our Best Of British food heroes,
0:17:33 > 0:17:37Graham Aimson, the club's head chef and the brains behind their pies.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Let's go! Oops! THEY LAUGH
0:17:41 > 0:17:45- That nearly had us, that chair! - It did!
0:17:45 > 0:17:46Graham!
0:17:46 > 0:17:48- How are you?- Good.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- DAVID LAUGHS - Look at those beauties!
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- Look at these!- Aren't they nice? - Come round so we can see you.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Now, football and pies are indivisible,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- but your pies are special, aren't they?- They are.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05- How special?- The best in the country.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07The supreme champion of all the pies,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10- in bakers' shops, supermarkets... - That's official?- It is.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14It's Morecambe Football Club, and you just have the best pies.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17- The best. The very best. - And you entered a competition...
0:18:17 > 0:18:21We entered it with the ambition of winning the Football League pie,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24not even looking at the big supreme championship,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27and we took that and the small-producer award,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- so we got three.- How many pies on match day will you sell?
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Last match day we sold 390, and that was with a crowd of 4,000.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Today we expect between 300 and 700. You can never tell.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41It depends on the weather, if they're having a family dinner,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44so today we'll have a minimum 400 pies go out.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46- 400 pies today?- Today, yeah.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49- I can't wait any longer. Can I have a taste?- By all means.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52- Do you want a chicken one? - Can I have a steak one?
0:18:52 > 0:18:54We've got a steak one on here somewhere.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58'I can't believe Si's got in there first.'
0:18:58 > 0:19:00- Are you not having one? - I haven't been offered!
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- Do you want one? - Of course I want one!
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Do you want a chicken one? - Thank you.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07So, the chicken won what award?
0:19:07 > 0:19:11The chicken won the supreme champion and the steak got a silver.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13- Look at that. - The Lancashire hotpots got a gold,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17- and the chicken Balti got a bronze. - Oh, nice pastry.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- Yeah. Pastry makes a pie.- Oh, aye.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22It's not just the means of getting it straight into your gob.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27- It's an entity in itself, isn't it? - Mm-hm.- Look at that filling!
0:19:27 > 0:19:30The cameraman's drooling through the lens now.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32These are fantastic pies.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35These are comfort food, something everybody relates to.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38With some pies, you get your meat and vegetables in there.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42It's a substance we all relate to, and it's not hard to make.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46Look at that gravy! It's glossy, it's full of meat.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50- Man, happy days!- Graham, will you show us how you make your pies?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53I'd love to show you how to make all the pies.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- We'll follow you. Crack on. - You don't want that bit.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58- No!- Ow!
0:20:01 > 0:20:03Now, then, chaps!
0:20:03 > 0:20:07The crust. So, Graham, what's your pastry recipe?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- Er, I'm not telling you.- Ahh!
0:20:09 > 0:20:12- No recipes today. No... - THEY LAUGH
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Five-and-half-inch ring, some pre-made pastry here,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21which of course we made ourselves. Push into the corners like that.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23But you're doing 800 pies.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26You've got to have such a system set up.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29We take up a full bench when we do a full run.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31This is like a manufacturing line, almost.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35'Graham here used to work in Michelin-starred restaurants,
0:20:35 > 0:20:40'but this is what he loves - upholding great British traditions.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43'He's a bit of a hidden jewel in our nation's crown.'
0:20:43 > 0:20:47So you really do do this in the proper old-fashioned way,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and it's just brilliant, and that's why you've won the awards.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Exactly. It stands out because it looks rustic and home-made.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58It's not a mass-manufactured product like you see in the shops.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00With that one, crimp it down like that.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Get the traditional feel of the pie. Oh, yeah!
0:21:03 > 0:21:06So, in an hour, how many can you knock out?
0:21:06 > 0:21:10If you've got everything prepped, you could probably get 100 out.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12That's it. Quick slash in there.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16All we have to do is pray the team perform as well as your pies.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Yeah. I hope so.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Outside, the Morecambe FC players are already warming up,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26and some of the pie-eating fans are getting stuck in early.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29'But this is the calm before the storm.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31'Graham's got hundreds more pies to bake,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35'so we've arranged to meet writer Tom Dickinson in the stadium.'
0:21:35 > 0:21:39He's got a bit of an unusual pie story to tell.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I spent one season going to all 92 of the league football clubs,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and I ate a pie at each one.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51The pies are the meaty glue that hold the league together.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54If you're here at Morecambe they've got pies.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58Man United have got pies. It's something that in every club they've got.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01What is it about the special relationship
0:22:01 > 0:22:04between football and the terraces and pies?
0:22:04 > 0:22:06There's something so comforting about a pie,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10especially when you're watching low-league football on a cold, wintry night.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I mean, a grey slab of burger isn't going to do it.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16You need something with lots of warming meat and mushy peas
0:22:16 > 0:22:20and gravy in it. The pie and football just go hand in hand.
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Do the posher clubs have better pies than the working-class clubs?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Not at all. Some of the worst ones were the Arsenals, the Chelseas.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31More expensive, but not as good as somewhere like here at Morecambe.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Really, the question on our lips -
0:22:33 > 0:22:37did you come up with the answer to the eternal question,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39"Who ate all the pies?"
0:22:39 > 0:22:42I think that originated back in the 19th century
0:22:42 > 0:22:46with this fat goalkeeper. Fatty Foulkes, he was called.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48It turns out that William "Fatty" Foulkes
0:22:48 > 0:22:52was 6'2" and weighed about 20 stone at his heaviest.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56He played footie for Sheffield United between 1894 and 1905.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59His size meant that lovely fans came up with the chant,
0:22:59 > 0:23:02"Who ate all the pies?" while he was on the pitch.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07- CROWD:- # Who ate all the pies? Who ate all the pies? #
0:23:07 > 0:23:10But nowadays I guess it's me. I ate all the pies.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I had one at each of the 92 clubs,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16so despite not being too chubby, I think I ate all the pies.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19'With that question answered, we want to hear what the fans think
0:23:19 > 0:23:22'of Morecambe FC's pies before the kick-off.'
0:23:22 > 0:23:24It's time to take the pies to the people.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27Shall we start with the big hairy fella?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Let's get him. He looks like one of us.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33It's official! Morecambe have the best pies in Britain.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- Apparently so.- Have a sample.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It's definitely a very nice pie. A nice light pastry,
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- and lots of moisture inside. - Go on, have a big 'un. Chicken.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47I will. I like a big one. Thank you.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'We've drawn quite a crowd. The pies must be good!'
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- What a good bit of steak! - What makes a good pie?
0:23:53 > 0:23:56- Decent pastry. - Yeah. It's good pastry, isn't it?
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- Nice and light. - Nice, light, crunchy?- Lovely. Yeah.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Football wouldn't be football without pies, would it?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Got any more? - # Bring me sunshine
0:24:05 > 0:24:07# In your smile
0:24:07 > 0:24:10# Fun and laughter #
0:24:10 > 0:24:13It's time for the other reason people have come here.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Well, we need to leave the fans to their match made in heaven,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20so we can pay tribute to that other meaty marvel,
0:24:20 > 0:24:23a British pie that's renowned the world over.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31The Melton Mowbray pork pie began life at the start of the 19th century.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34At that time, Melton Mowbray butchers and bakers
0:24:34 > 0:24:37were making pastry with flour, water and pig fat,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and the pigs themselves were being fattened with whey
0:24:40 > 0:24:45- and the husks from ground wheat. - All things that led to a tasty pie.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Using a wooden mould, they would make a small pastry case
0:24:51 > 0:24:54shaped like a bowl, which the pork was placed inside.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Holes were pierced in the lid, and once the pie was baked,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02a gelatine gravy was poured in.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04The pie was then allowed to set, and you know what?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08This recipe's never changed.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11Back then, this hardy, hearty, portable packed lunch
0:25:11 > 0:25:14quickly became the pie of choice for the working man.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19And its appeal didn't stop there. During the early 1800s,
0:25:19 > 0:25:23Melton Mowbray had also become a focal point for serious foxhunters,
0:25:23 > 0:25:29and while they were out riding, they needed something that would be easy to eat on horseback.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32And the small-parcelled pork pie was ideal.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35It is said that, just as a Cornish pasty
0:25:35 > 0:25:38should stand up to being dropped down a mine,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42equally a Melton Mowbray should be able to survive in a hunter's pocket
0:25:42 > 0:25:46and be a delightful snack after over an hour's hard riding.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49And it did.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53In 1831, Edward Adcock was the first baker
0:25:53 > 0:25:55to manufacture the famous Melton Mowbray pork pie
0:25:55 > 0:25:58for the wholesale trade.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02This led the way for it to become the internationally recognised meat pie it is today.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09This isn't a pie in the sky.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12This is a pie with its feet well and truly grounded on British soil,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16and it is still as popular today as it was in the 1800s.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24'But there are some old classics which have fallen out of fashion.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26'But if one man has his way, however,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29'one pie might be set for a bit of a comeback.'
0:26:29 > 0:26:32We're heading north for Yorkshire,
0:26:32 > 0:26:37to meet a Best Of British food hero, butcher and farmer Tim Wilson.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40He's an award-winning pie maker
0:26:40 > 0:26:43who gets very passionate about an old-fashioned pie.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46When I was a kid, Tuesday night was pie night,
0:26:46 > 0:26:50and my mum used to make chicken-and-mushroom pie.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53It was a big thing.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57You had a big bowl. The bowls were nice. There was a big cream pot.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59If you had a steak-and-kidney pudding,
0:26:59 > 0:27:03it was in a cream earthenware pot with muslin over the top,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and then tied with string.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09Big chunks of meat, into the pie, and good stock,
0:27:09 > 0:27:12with nice herbs. It's a fantastic thing,
0:27:12 > 0:27:14and it's what would have been done -
0:27:14 > 0:27:17oh, I don't know - a hundred years ago.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22You get two pleasures out of it. You get the pleasure of eating it
0:27:22 > 0:27:26but a great pleasure in making it, and that's almost as much fun
0:27:26 > 0:27:27as the eating part.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Tim Wilson runs a chain of butchers' shops in London
0:27:31 > 0:27:34which sell all things meaty, including pies.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39The meat for Tim's pies comes from his farm on the Yorkshire moors.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43These cows, pigs and sheep are old-fashioned British breeds,
0:27:43 > 0:27:46something else he's passionate about.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49SHEEP BLEATS
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Most of my food, my animals, the way I butcher,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57the way I rear the animals, whatever we make,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00is a bit old-fashioned.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05When I started, I wanted to eat meat with flavour.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08I got all the old recipe books from the 17th century,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12and the breeds and the cuts were different,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14and flavour was important.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17It's keeping the flavours and the tastes
0:28:17 > 0:28:21that we ate generations, hundreds of years ago.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26There's one meat that Tim wants to put back in his pies and his shops.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30We're going to make a pie with mutton,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32because the mutton's got the flavour.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35If it's a lamb pie, it won't have quite as much flavour.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Every recipe you read from pre-1950
0:28:38 > 0:28:41right the way back to 17th-century books,
0:28:41 > 0:28:44mutton is always mentioned, and there are great recipes for mutton.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49You know, Tim's got a point.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52Mutton used to be considered the best meat money could buy.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56No-one ate lamb because sheep were grown for the lucrative wool trade.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59The adult sheep were then sold as mutton.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03It was even more expensive than beef.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07But in the '50s, the mass production of new artificial fibres
0:29:07 > 0:29:09killed off the wool industry.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Farmers found they could get a higher price for lamb,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15which became the new fashionable meat.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19And mutton, once Britain's favourite meat, got the chop.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Its fantastic flavours were forgotten.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27The real flavour is in something that's been running around on those hills for three or four years,
0:29:27 > 0:29:31and it's been eating heather and it's been eating grass,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and it's been picking at the wildflowers.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37That then gives it flavour. It gives it texture,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39it gives it depth of maturity,
0:29:39 > 0:29:42all the things that you really, really want.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48If mutton is to sell in Tim's shops,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52he needs to find a pie that will fly off the shelves.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Tim's baker, Les, gets to work.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59He starts by chopping the mutton into large cubes
0:29:59 > 0:30:01which will be cooked until brown.
0:30:01 > 0:30:03To make a pie well, you've got to cook the meat well.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06It's got to be cooked for four hours.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10It wants that long, slow cooking to break down all the muscles,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14so that the fat runs out of it, the muscle breaks down.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19You get that nice, glutinous, sticky sauce together.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23- And what about the veg? - Ooh, fresh from the garden!
0:30:23 > 0:30:27You've always got to put carrot with mutton,
0:30:27 > 0:30:31because carrot is a sweet vegetable,
0:30:31 > 0:30:35and it brings out the flavour of the mutton. And fresh thyme.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37After an hour of roasting,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40half a bottle of wine and some stock are added to the meat.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44- Then the veg goes in... - And so does the secret ingredient,
0:30:44 > 0:30:49black pudding, which will thicken, darken and flavour the pie gravy.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53Mmm! Then the whole thing goes into the oven for three hours.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56Plenty of time to get cracking with the pastry.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59We're going to use suet crust pastry today,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01which is my favourite pastry,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05because the top is always perfectly brown and crisp.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07Underneath, where it touches the meat,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09it's still slightly white,
0:31:09 > 0:31:13and you get that sort of lovely meaty-but-pastry combination.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Perfect!
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Oh, I can almost smell it from here!
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- How's it going, Les? - Yeah, fine.- It smells good,
0:31:20 > 0:31:22and it's looking good. Nice and dark.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25It's the black pudding, I think, isn't it?
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Gives it a real unusual twist. How much meat do you put in?
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Er, there's two full legs and two full shoulders.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- You've basically got a whole ewe in there.- A full one, yes.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Once the pastry is golden and crispy,
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Tim's hungry shepherds and office staff
0:31:41 > 0:31:44will be flocking to judge if the mutton pie is a hit.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48It's a real effort, it's a real task, to bring mutton back
0:31:48 > 0:31:51from where it has been, which is right at the bottom,
0:31:51 > 0:31:57to bring it back up so that it goes on the Sunday lunch table
0:31:57 > 0:31:59as a roast leg of mutton,
0:31:59 > 0:32:02it goes on Tuesday night as big mutton pie.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04That's our task now -
0:32:04 > 0:32:07to try and get mutton as the "in" meat.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Hands up, all those people who think it's going to be strong-tasting
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and tough.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15THEY LAUGH
0:32:15 > 0:32:19Right. So those are people we've got to convince...
0:32:20 > 0:32:23..that it's going to be a winner.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25Is mutton more gamey than lamb, then?
0:32:25 > 0:32:29No, it's not gamey. It's a totally different flavour to lamb.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34Mutton is more like eating beef.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36You'll be the judge.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38- Well, it smells... - It looks lovely, doesn't it?
0:32:38 > 0:32:41It smells pretty good.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44The consistency is what I think of as a pie.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46That is really thick gravy,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49and big, big chunks of meat.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51Perfect.
0:32:52 > 0:32:56Cor, that looks great! But will this pie be good enough
0:32:56 > 0:32:58to make it onto Tim's shop shelves?
0:33:00 > 0:33:03Come on, then, David. What do you think?
0:33:05 > 0:33:07Mmm! Nice!
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Not chewy.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13- Not chewy at all.- It seems a lot leaner than I expected.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Yeah. Absolutely, yeah. - It's very nice.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19- But it's not a lamby flavour, is it? - No.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24It's a different flavour. It's soft.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26It's unctuous.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28I genuinely...
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Is it not as bad as you expected? THEY LAUGH
0:33:30 > 0:33:33I genuinely think this is grand.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38So Tim has found a pie to put in his shops.
0:33:41 > 0:33:45I don't think mutton needs to be dressed up as lamb.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47It looks pretty good in that pie.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Oh, we do love a good meat pie!
0:33:53 > 0:33:56'And we've saved our best for last, as we're hoping to reach pie Nirvana
0:33:56 > 0:33:59'in our Best Of British kitchen.'
0:34:00 > 0:34:03We're going to do for you today one of our favourite all-time pies -
0:34:03 > 0:34:06chicken, ham and leek.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08It's just one of the best pies ever,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12hot, cold... It's what you call a cut-and-come-again pie, isn't it?
0:34:12 > 0:34:15- Yes.- You think, "I'll just have a slither."
0:34:15 > 0:34:17You have a little bit like that.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21- And you think, as you pass again... - "I'll just have a bit more."
0:34:21 > 0:34:24"I wonder if I should have a little piccalilli with that."
0:34:24 > 0:34:26Anyway, we should show you how to cook it, really,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29instead of thinking about pies.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32We want you to own this, take it, possess it,
0:34:32 > 0:34:37- make it your own. It's brilliant! - Pies are close to our hearts.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40We want to share that pie love with you.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42To kick off our chicken, leek and ham pie,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46place 450 millilitres of just-boiled water into a pan,
0:34:46 > 0:34:50and crumble in one chicken stock cube, and stir.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54Then take three chicken breasts and put them into the pan
0:34:54 > 0:34:56for ten minutes, just to poach.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00A pie, it's an egalitarian thing, isn't it?
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Pie is something for the masses.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05With pies... There's no pies and prejudice, is there?
0:35:05 > 0:35:07HE LAUGHS
0:35:07 > 0:35:10- Eeh!- Oh, I suppose I'd better make some crust, hadn't I?
0:35:10 > 0:35:11Well, yeah.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15To make your pastry, put 350 grams of plain flour
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and a pinch of sea salt into your processor.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20Mate, can you pass us two leeks?
0:35:20 > 0:35:22HE IMITATES GUNFIRE
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Give us the leeks, will you?
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Cut 350 grams of butter into chunks,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31and pulse together with the flour and salt
0:35:31 > 0:35:34until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Then mix in one tablespoon of cold water
0:35:37 > 0:35:41with one large beaten egg, and add to your pastry mix,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44and blitz till it forms a ball.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46Pies!
0:35:46 > 0:35:49There comes a point where it just starts to go together.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Don't overdo it. Once the ball's there... Oh! That's it.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54Oh, look at that, man! See? Look!
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Now, we need two thirds for the base,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00and a third for the lid.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03So you're just going to put this in the fridge for half an hour,
0:36:03 > 0:36:08- and, yes, you've guessed it. I do have some that I prepared earlier. - You're good like that.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11Meanwhile, for your pie filling, finely chop two leeks
0:36:11 > 0:36:14and gently saute them in a pan.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18But you know, chicken's got an interesting history in this country.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21In 1815, there were records of having 12 different kinds
0:36:21 > 0:36:24of domesticated fowl in the country.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28But the royals, they've been mega chicken-fanciers for ages.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32Queen Victoria, she put her cochin fowl on exhibition.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36And the Prince of Wales is president of the British Poultry Club.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37And the Queen Mother bred chicken.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- She was very proud of her Buff Orpingtons.- Was she?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44She was! I'll just pop this in the fridge. I'm boring myself now.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46HE WHISTLES
0:36:46 > 0:36:51Moving on, chop two cloves of garlic, and add to the leeks.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55Saute that garlic off with the leeks for a couple of minutes.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57Then take your poached chicken out of the pan,
0:36:57 > 0:37:00reserving the stock for later.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02I'm just going to take 250 mill of this.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09And butter your pie dish.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14Now put your leek and garlic mix into a bowl ready for the filling.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18OK. Now we're going to get on and make a roux.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21Start off with 75 grams of butter and place in a pan to melt.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27Roll out your pastry until around four millimetres thick,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30and four centimetres larger than your pie dish.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34So, now we go on to make the sauce for our pie.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36About 25 Gs of flour.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40And then you just cook that out a little bit.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44OK? So you're left with a nice smooth paste. Look.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47See? Nice and smooth.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Pastry goes up.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52As you can see, it's really decent to handle.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Pop it on your dish. Press that down.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57And that's just what we need.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Right. Now, to this I'm just going to drizzle in some milk.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03OK?
0:38:07 > 0:38:10And then we add that cooking liquor.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14While Si does that, I'm going to chop the three chicken breasts
0:38:14 > 0:38:16and a 150-gram piece of thickly carved ham
0:38:16 > 0:38:19into two-centimetre chunks.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Then I'm going to add two tablespoons of white wine to the roux.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28Keep that moving. Just want to cook a little bit
0:38:28 > 0:38:30of that white wine off.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32Now, it's not finished yet, though,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35because we want to make it even more unctuous,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38and the way that we do that is, we take it off the heat...
0:38:38 > 0:38:40Cream?
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Should I?
0:38:42 > 0:38:44I think so.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49We're adding 150 millilitres of delicious double cream.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52See the face you love light up with a pie.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54- THEY LAUGH - That's brilliant!
0:38:54 > 0:38:57It makes you very happy. Put it back on the heat.
0:38:57 > 0:39:01Right. Er, Mr Myers, with your fine palate, sir,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05would you mind just tasting that and seasoning it?
0:39:07 > 0:39:12Ooh, how bland! Really good flavour from the chicken, though.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15- Nice, eh?- I'll use black pepper. Could use white.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19It's a pie filling. We add lots of pepper.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22And now we pour that into our bowl to cool.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27Now, to avoid a skin forming on the top,
0:39:27 > 0:39:31cover your sauce with cling film and leave to cool.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38- Now, look. See this here? Look.- Oh...
0:39:38 > 0:39:40No skin on it. Top tip, that.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43So, what we do, into that lovely sauce...
0:39:43 > 0:39:46Add your leeks, garlic, chicken and ham to the sauce,
0:39:46 > 0:39:50and give it a good stir. Now you're ready to fill the pie.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54- Look at this.- Slap it in!
0:39:54 > 0:39:58- More the merrier. Bigger the better. - There's pleasure in a pie.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00There's passion in a pie.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02Oodles of eggy wash, the pastry glue.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04And...
0:40:06 > 0:40:10- Oh, man!- See? Even though it's a butter shortcrust,
0:40:10 > 0:40:13you chill it, you can handle it.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17Look at that! Amazing! Hold on, mate. I'll get you a knife.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Use a knife to tidy the rim, and then crimp the pie edges
0:40:20 > 0:40:25- with your fingers.- It gives it that kind of Mrs Lovett look to it.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- It does.- It's like a pie you get in a comic.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33- Desperate Dan, Sweeney Todd, all them.- Yeah.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36- Look at that.- So perfect!
0:40:36 > 0:40:39- Could have come out the packet. - It could.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- I love you.- Thank you. - Not you. The pie.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Brush your pie lid with egg wash, and pierce two holes in the top
0:40:45 > 0:40:48- to let out the steam.- It's "piefect".
0:40:48 > 0:40:50THEY LAUGH
0:40:50 > 0:40:52Look at that!
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Now simply pop that into a preheated oven,
0:40:55 > 0:40:58about 180 degrees Celsius if it's a fan oven,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry's golden.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06While that bakes, we've got time for a startling chicken fact.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09Did you know that 20 percent of all the animal protein
0:41:09 > 0:41:12consumed in the world is chicken?
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Aye! That means that the chuck certainly is a popular bird.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I wonder if our chicken pie is ready yet!
0:41:19 > 0:41:23HE LAUGHS Yes! Oh, it's like Christmas!
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Every day can be Christmas when you've got a pie.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Look at that beauty! Look!
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Now, this really is the best of British.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40We've had them with our grannies. We've had them with our children.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Pies! It's the future!
0:41:43 > 0:41:46- It seems such a shame to cut it, doesn't it?- Cut it!
0:41:46 > 0:41:50- Are you sure?- Yes. Please.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53- Look at that. - A nice-sized wedge, Kingy?
0:41:53 > 0:41:55Yeah, please.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Ahhhh!
0:41:56 > 0:42:01Oh! Ready? One, two, three...
0:42:02 > 0:42:06Now, this is my sort of pie. Look at the colour of it, with the leeks!
0:42:06 > 0:42:08That's beautiful.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11Oh!
0:42:11 > 0:42:14It makes you giggle, though, cos it's so lovely!
0:42:14 > 0:42:17The leeks are quite powerful, going through it.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22The crust... Well, look at that. Mmm!
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Now, this is a classic British pie. It's ours. We're proud of it.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29We've made pies since the Middle Ages,
0:42:29 > 0:42:32and we're very good at it. And do you know what?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35- I think we've just got better. - Mm-hm!
0:42:38 > 0:42:41And you can always add mushrooms to this pie
0:42:41 > 0:42:43and make it even more sumptuous.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Us Brits have really pulled out the stops
0:42:50 > 0:42:52when it comes to the humble pie.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55We've got a pie that may live to see another day.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58A pie that continues to grow come what may...
0:42:58 > 0:43:02A supreme award-winner bringing sunshine to our skies,
0:43:02 > 0:43:06and one with international status that no-one can deny.
0:43:06 > 0:43:11Us Brits really know how to make these treats easy as pie.
0:43:13 > 0:43:15If you want to know more, visit...
0:43:19 > 0:43:24..to discover some amazing facts about the history of food,
0:43:24 > 0:43:27and to find out how to cook up the recipes in today's show.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:32 > 0:43:36E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:43:36 > 0:43:36.