Pot Pies: Forty Savory Suppers (Hardcover)

~ Beatrice Ojakangas (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Old cookbooks sometimes explained that a crackling, singing sound--like that of a blackbird--indicated that a pie was done," writes Ojakangas ( The Finnish Cookbook ). Readers partial to savory casseroles will enjoy the main-dish pies presented here, culled from Greek, Italian, French, Mexican, Moroccan and Ojakangas's own Finnish recipes. She understands the need for straight-on but imaginative foods to set on the dinner table. Ready-made conveniences, such a frozen phyllo and bottled salsa, make the pies seem accessible, not exotic. Yet Ojakangas does not even mention ready-made pie crusts, refrigerated crusts or frozen puff pastry as alternatives to crusts made from scratch. Given that most new cooks are intimidated by pastry-making, Ojakangas may have overlooked that audience by offering only cursory instructions on how to handle pastry. She begins the book with a review of equipment and pie preparations, then organizes recipes into chapters by main ingredient (cheese, egg, meat, etc.). Some recipes are simply dolled-up standards: for example, instead of serving chili spooned on top of cornbread, Ojakangas bakes a cornbread crust on top of a kettle of vegetarian chili, and puts a whipped potato crust atop a carbonnade stew. More inviting are the Chilean chicken corn pie with olives, raisins and loads of ground chili, and shrimp pie with dilled Havarti and fragrant roasted red and yellow bell peppers. Illustrated.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Ojakangas is the author of numerous cookbooks, including Scandinavian Feasts ( LJ 5/92) and The Great Scandinavian Baking Book ( LJ 8/88). Here she focuses on homey main-dish pies, not just traditional two-crust pot pies but also such variations, or relatives, as Asparagus Tart, Rustic Deep-Dish Pizza, and Crab and Mushroom Quiche. Despite the subtitle, these simple dishes are not limited to suppertime; many are appropriate for brunch or lunch, and quite a few would make good picnic fare. Recommended.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter; 1st edition (January 4, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0517585731
• ISBN-13: 978-0517585733
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #220,417 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pot Pies for Adult Taste, July 3, 2001

By	Teantae Turner "sistert" (Columbia, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Though I found this cookbook interesting, there were many contradictions and areas where it lacked. Mrs. Ojakangas talks about pot pies being international yet the majority of her recipes had a French flair to them. Personally, these are recipes I'd expect in Bon Appetit, they are not your everyday family fare. Many recipes require a large number of ingredients. Many you will be hard pressed to find in your local store.

I did find it a bit difficult to prepare many of her recipes after coming home from work. Though it can be done, it does mean eating late in some cases. If you're short on time, wait to try most of these recipes on the weekend.

Though I can't see myself picking up this cookbook often, these are recipes that are great for casual company, brunches, and garden parties. If you like European home-style cuisine, you'll enjoy this cookbook. If you are looking for simple meat and potato recipes, move on.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a charming collection of savory delights, September 10, 2000

By A Customer

This is a satisfying collection of 40 savory pies, some single crust and some double. The author includes 6 pie crust recipes at the back of the book, and she tells you which to use in each recipe (of course, if you wanted to use purchased pie crust instead, who's to know, but her pie crust recipes are excellent, especially the lemon pastry).

The book provides a nice assortment of meat pies; cheese, egg, and vegetable pies; and chicken, turkey, and seafood pies. Each pie I've made has been delicious, and they also look attractive. Instructions are very clear, and none of the recipes are too complicated for the average home cook.

This spring I made the Asparagus Tart, which was luscious and beautiful, My family enjoyed the Turkey Pie with a Corn Bread Crust, and the Pork Pot Pie with Peppered Corn Bread Crust, as a well as a Picnic Pie that had a wonderful, rustic fireside appeal--and tasted great. This is hearty comfort food. Also, we really enjoyed the Pizza Pot Pie, which was time-consuming but as my 9-year-old son proclaimed, "worth every minute." A similar dish worth making is the Rustic Deep-Dish Pizza.

There's something here for everybody. I highly recommend this charming little book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Winter Food, September 8, 2000

By A Customer

The Chicken Pie with Roasted Peppers has become a perennial favorite in our house when the weather turns nippy. Good, solid, warm-your-insides recipes, not too fancy, not too hard to do in a hour.