Pie Cooking

[catsrcool]

I have just got a new electric oven and I have the choice of convection or conventional heating. Which should I use for baking meat pies in ceramic pie dishes? And do I put them directly on a wire rack so the heat circulates round them or use a baking sheet?

[diddlydo]

Unless it's a top-crust only pie, don't cook them in ceramic dishes or you'll end up with soggy bottoms! In any case use the fan oven - much more even cooking - and put them on the actual oven shelves.

[catsrcool]

Thanks my shelves are wire racks.

[diddlydo]

I meant the "wire racks" which are the oven shelves obviously!

[Toxophilus]

You can cook them without soggy bottoms, even with the crust at the bottom. What I do is I adapted a Mary Berry suggestion. She balanced a pie on a jam jar lid. I find this can be a bit dangerous, so I usually put mine on to a metal ring sitting on top of the shelf grid. The metal ring I use has a base which turns it into a cake tin. It is bigger than a jam jar top, and so there is more stability. The ring can be put in when the oven is about to be warmed up, so cutting down the danger to your arms, but you need to be sure before you switch on the heat that there is room for your pie on top. Hope this helps and good luck to your pies.

[bushbaby_de]

I use ceramic pie dishes in the convection/fan oven setting. Before putting the filling in the pie, brush some beaten egg white over the pastry in the dish and give it a minute or two to air dry slightly, then put the meat on top. I have never had a soggy bottom!