The Complete Book of Pies by Julie Hasson

The Complete Book of Pies

I totally admit that the one thing I really struggle with in the kitchen is making a pie crust.  I have tried a ton of different recipes and I just cannot make a pie crust that turns out well.  Because of that, you will notice that I rarely make pies.  When I do, they tend to be single crust pies or I buy a pre-made pie crust. That way no one has to see how awful my crust turns out.  When I was offered the chance to review The Complete Book of Pies: 200 recipes from sweet to savory, I was a bit intimidated to say the least.

The Complete Book of Pies: 200 Recipes from Sweet to Savory by Julie Hasson is so much more than traditional pie recipes. After you get through the very comprehensive introduction that explains about common ingredients, making perfect pies, tips and tricks for rolling dough, you will find that this cookbook has so much more than your typical pie recipe. Not only will you find fruit pies and tarts and cream pies, you will also find hand pies which are small hand held pies similar to toaster pastries.  They make a great on the go breakfast solution. There’s even a section on little pies and single serving tarts. I really need to get some individual pie plates to try the recipes in this section.  My favorite section in this cookbook is the Crisps, Crumbles, Cobblers and Toppings section.  There is also a great selection of recipes in the Rustic Pies and Tarts chapter. There are a number of different pie crust recipes along with a bunch of separate filling recipes so you can mix and match and use the ones that you prefer.

Don’t think that this cookbook is all about sweets though.  There are a lot of savory options that would work well for lunch or dinner.  Included in the cookbook are quiches, pot pie recipes, and other savory tarts and pies. There are even a bunch of recipes that are vegan friendly. They are each marked in the upper corner so they’re easy to identify.  Each recipe includes ingredients, easy to follow instructions, tips and variations when available. Scattered throughout the book are several sections with full color photographs of some of the recipes in the cookbook. If you’re looking for some new inspiration in the kitchen, you need to pick up a copy of The Complete Book of Pies. We made the Butterscotch Chip Skillet Pie and it was delicious!

Disclosure: I received a product or products in order to write my review.  All opinions are mine and mine alone. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255 concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising.