British Pie Week Competition

British Pie Week Competition: bake a pie and win a set of Denby cookware!

One of the most delicious weeks of the year is almost here: British Pie Week falls on the 6^th–12^th March this year. If you’re a fan of a homemade pie, then why not enter Denby’s Pie Week competition? The kitchenware and ceramics brand have come up with three tasty pie recipes. All you have to do is choose one to bake and send in a photo to be in with a chance of winning a unique set of Denby ovenware.

If you’re interested in entering, you can find the full details of the competition below.

The prize

The pies will be judged on presentation and creativity (so feel free to get creative) and one lucky winner will receive a Denby bundle complete with an oven dish, set of ramekins, and a cast iron dish of their choosing*. Each piece is stylish and durable and is oven safe up to 220°C (250°C for cast iron) — making them perfect for all your future bakes. The ceramic ramekins and dishes are also microwave safe and dishwasher safe for easy prep and clean up. If you’d like to be in with the chance of winning, take a look at the pie recipes below.

Rhubarb and cardamom custard pie

This sweet pie combines two much-loved British classics and is sure to bring the highly anticipated taste of spring. Feel free to get creative with your decorations, using the rhubarb to create a striking geometric pattern, or saving a little pastry for a traditional lattice.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 1 pack ready-made shortcrust pastry
• 1 egg

For the custard

• 250ml whipping cream
• 250ml whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom or 3 cardamom pods
• 8 egg yolks
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 1 tbsp orange zest

For the rhubarb

• 500g rhubarb stems, cut into pieces according to preference

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6
2. Lightly grease your pie dish.
3. Dust your worktop with flour and roll out the pie dough until it is 3mm thick. That’s about as thick as a pound coin.
4. Place your pastry into the pie dish or large oven dish. Do this gently to avoid any cracks forming.
5. Line your dish with baking paper and fill it with baking beans or dry rice.
6. Blind bake your pastry for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and wash the pastry base with a little beaten egg.
7. Lower the oven temperature to 180°/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and bake for another 5 minutes. Set the pastry aside to cool completely while you make your filling.
8. While the pie base is cooking and cooling, prepare your rhubarb by chopping the stems into pieces as big or as small as you like.
9. Add the cream, milk, vanilla, orange zest, and cardamom to a saucepan and place it on a medium heat until hot but not boiling.
10. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale. Pour in the hot cream, beating continuously as you do.
11. Strain the custard through a sieve, add the rhubarb, and pour the mixture into your prepared pastry base.
12. Bake for 30–40 minutes until the custard is set with a slight wobble in the middle.
13. Leave to cool completely before serving. If you can stand to wait a little longer, chilling the pie in the fridge for a couple of hours will produce nice clean slices.

Ham, leek, and wholegrain mustard pie

If savoury pies are more your thing, then you’ll love this ham, leek, and wholegrain mustard pie. This flavourful pie is ideal for using up leftover ham or gammon, and you can add any extra vegetables you have lying around too. Just be sure to cook them first or used cooked leftover veg so that you don’t have any bits of pie filling that are firmer than others.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 1 pack ready-made puff pastry
• 1 egg yolk

For the filling

• 400g cooked ham hock
• 2 leeks
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 30g flour
• 300ml chicken stock
• 100g crème fraîche
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• Leftover vegetables (optional)

Method

1. Chop the leeks and onion and sauté for two minutes until softened.
2. Finely chop the garlic and add to the pan. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
3. Sprinkle the leeks, onion, and garlic with flour and stir, then add the chicken stock and stir again.
4. If you’re using any leftover vegetables, cook them as you usually would and add them to the mixture.
5. Chop or shred the ham into bite-sized chunks and add to the mixture along with the crème fraîche and mustard. This is your pie filling.
6. Add your pie filling to a large oven-proof dish and preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7.
7. Dust your worktop with flour and roll out the puff pastry until it is 3mm thick or about as thick as a pound coin.
8. Cut a pastry strip the same width as the lip of the dish.
9. Wet the edge of the dish with a little beaten egg yolk and stick the pastry around it.
10. Brush the top of the pastry lip with more egg yolk and add your pastry top, trimming then crimping the edges to seal. If you have any left-over pastry, you can use this to decorate your pie.
11. Cut a slit or a hole in the surface of the pie to allow the steam to escape, then brush with the remaining egg yolk.
12. Place your filled pie dish on a baking sheet or tray, put in the oven and bake for 35–45 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot.
13. Leave to cool slightly then serve.

Odds n’ ends rainbow vegan pie

This odds n’ ends pie is perfect for using up your leftover vegetables or any offcuts. The recipe includes some vegetable suggestions, but you can use any vegetables you like. Our top tip would be to go for colourful veggies to make a stunning rainbow pie! You can buy a pre-made vegan pastry in most supermarkets, but if you’d like to make your own healthier spelt version, Denby have also suggested a quick and easy vegan pastry recipe below.

Ingredients

For the pastry

• 150g coconut oil, plus extra for the tin
• 500g spelt flour
• Almond milk for brushing

For the filling

• 500g butternut squash
• 500g baby potatoes or new potatoes
• 225g cooked beetroot (not in vinegar)
• 400g asparagus
• 300g roasted peppers
• 300ml vegan stock
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp dry semolina or polenta
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Pinch chilli flakes
• 20 basil leaves
• 20 mint leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with some baking paper.
2. Cut your butternut squash into cubes and lay them on the tray, adding a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Toss the mixture and roast for 30 minutes.
3. While your butternut squash is cooking, slice the potatoes into circles, bring the vegan stock to the boil, and add the potatoes. Cover and leave to cook for 8–10 minutes.
4. Once cooked, drain the potatoes and dry them with kitchen paper before scattering over the lemon zest.
5. Remove your cooked squash from the oven and leave it to cool. Turn the oven down to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
6. Slice your beetroot into circles and chop the asparagus and roasted peppers into chunks. Set them aside for now while you work on the pastry.
7. Start preparing the pastry by boiling a kettle and greasing your pie dish, large oven dish, or springform tin with a little of the coconut oil.
8. Add the spelt flour to a bowl and season with a pinch of salt.
9. Melt the coconut oil by mixing it with 200ml of boiling water and pour it in with the flour. Mix it together with a wooden spoon to form a dough — remember to be careful as the mixture may be hot.
10. Cut off ¼ of the dough and set it aside, roll the rest to 5mm thick, then lay it across your dish. Press the pastry to the sides, working gently to avoid breaking it. If any cracks do form, you can patch it up with a bit of extra pastry.
11. Cover the base of the pastry with the semolina or polenta (this will soak up the juices from the vegetables) and add the vegetables in layers. Be sure to pack each layer in tightly to make it level and ensure you get a bit of everything in each bite. This will also create a more impressive looking pie when sliced!
12. Lay the basil and mint leaves on top.
13. Roll out your reserve pastry and pop it on top of your pie, crimping the edges with a fork to seal.
14. Make a slit in the top to allow the steam to escape and brush over the almond milk mixed with a spoonful of oil. This will help give it a nice golden sheen.
15. Bake for 30—45 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning Denby’s baking bundle, simply bake one of the pies above and send a photo to [email protected]. Your entry will be judged on decoration and presentation, including the pie’s design and any tablescaping — meaning you can eat the pie all to yourself! The competition will be open from the 6^th–12^th March and judging will take place in the two weeks after the deadline. The winner will be announced on Monday the 27^th of March and will be contacted to choose the colour of their prize.

Terms and conditions

• This competition is live from Monday 6th March 2023 at 16:00 until Monday 13th March 2023 at 23.59.
• In order to enter, you must email your entry to [email protected].
• The closing date for entries is 13th March 2023. All entries must be made by the closing date. Any entries made after the closing date will not be considered.
• 1 x winner will be chosen from all completed, legible entries on Monday 27th March 2023 and will be notified via email (the same email they provided when entering). The winner must reply within 48 hours in order to confirm acceptance of their prize. Should the prize not be claimed within 48 hours, the first entry will be considered void and a new winner will be selected and contacted. By entering the competition, you have the legal capacity to do so and agree to these terms and conditions. If the winner declines the prize or fails to respond within the required period, they forfeit any right to the prize. 
• Denby employees are not eligible to enter the competition or win the prize.
• We would never ask entrants to provide any personal financial information in order to enter or claim their prize. 
• Entrants must be aged 18 or over and based in the UK.
• No purchase is necessary to enter the competition. Entry constitutes full and unconditional acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Denby is not responsible for lost, corrupted or delayed entries and reserve the right to disqualify anyone who violates these Terms and Conditions.
• The winners will each be entitled to the following items: an oven dish, 4 ramekins and cast-iron dish, from a collection/in a colour of their choosing dependant on stock availability. 
• By entering this competition, you will receive communications from Denby. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe link in the emails received. Your personally identifiable information will not be rented, sold or leased to any other companies or individuals. 
• The winner is required to confirm acceptance of the prize and provide the postal address to the Promoter when contacted. In the event that the winner does not accept the prize, or does not comply with these conditions, the Promoter reserves the right to select an alternate winner.
• The prize is non-transferable.
• The name and town / county of the winning entrants can be obtained by sending a stamped addressed envelope to Denby Sign-up Competition – Marketing Department Commercial Office, Derby Road, DE5 8NX.
• Please see Denby’s terms and conditions for more information.

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