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Meat Pies Go Global

© Eve Carr

What do you think of when someone mentions pie? While most people immediately think of apple pie, there is a whole world of "meat" pies from around the globe just waiting for you to discover. There are English pork pies, Spanish empanadas, Australian meat pies, Russian piroshky, Italian calzone, -- it doesn matter what you all them. They are all delicious. And they are one of the most versatile foods you can serve.

You can make them large, like Cornish pasties, or scale them down to medium size to fit in the hand for lunch, or make them even smaller for snacks, picnics, and finger food appetizers.

You can make them from your own puff pastry or homemade pie crust pastry -- or use frozen phyllo dough or commercial pie crust and shape them any way you like -- in triangular, crescent, round or even square shapes. Depending on your recipe, you can pan-fry, deep-fry or, for the healthiest pies, bake them.

You can even use the same basic recipe and vary the seasonings and other ingredients to produce meat pies with different international flavors. And, if you're a vegetarian, you don't even have to use meat, but substitute non-watery fillings such as cooked rice and beans.

For an italian flavor, season with oregano or basil, moisten with a little tomato sauce and sprinkle on a little Parmesan cheese before sealing. Use ground lamb instead of beef, use phyllo dough instead of pie crust pastry, and your meat pies take on a Greek taste.

Use meat pies to help children get protein in their diets. While children may push other meats aside, they usually like the finely chopped or ground texture of the meats in these pies.

Let meat pies stretch your budget. Like soup, almost any foods or combinations of foods can be used to produce them. And, like soup, leftovers can be so disguised and transformed that you can even serve them to guests. Here's a recipe to get you started making meat pies a part of your life.

CURRY PIES

DOUGH: (or use commercial pie crust)

3 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup margarine, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces 1/2 cup water (or more if needed)

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in margarine with a pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal. Gradually add ice water and mix with a fork until dough clears the bowl. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until easy to handle, about 1 hour.