A Pie in Every Pocket

AH, THE PIE COOLING ON THE WINDOW SILL. IT'S NOT SO MUCH A DESSERT AS AN ICON. AN EDIBLE EMBLEM OF AMERICA, DEMOCRACY, AND ALL THAT IS GOOD. BUT ALLOW ME TO HUMBLY SUGGEST THAT IN THIS GUISE AT LEAST, PIE IS ACTUALLY A TOOL OF REPRESSION. THINK ABOUT IT. IT'S ALMOST AS TEDIOUS TO EAT AS IT IS TO MAKE. SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT IS REQUIRED FOR EXTRACTING PIECES. YOU NEED A PLATE, YOU NEED A FORK, AND THEN, OF COURSE, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A TABLE TO SIT AT. AND AS FOR REMOVING THE FIRST PIECE, WELL, I'D JUST AS SOON TAKE OUT MY OWN APPENDIX WITH A PEN KNIFE. NOPE, THIS IS NOT A PASTRY FOR THE CONVENIENCE AGE. HOWEVER, IN ITS ORIGINAL INCARNATION THE PIE LOOKED VERY, VERY DIFFERENT. IN FACT, IT LOOKED A LOT LIKE THIS. ALTHOUGH ANY GOOD SOUTHERN BOY WOULD RECOGNIZE THIS DEVICE, A GIFT FROM OUR PLANTATION PAST, MOST AMERICANS ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS EDIBLE ENVELOPE AND THE CULINARY FREEDOM THAT IT ALLOWS. SO PREPARE YOURSELVES, AMERICA, BECAUSE THE HAND PIE OR POCKET PIE IS GONNA SET YOU FREE. NOT ONLY IS IT CONVENIENT, IT'S TASTY, AND IT'S... ♪♪ HAND PIES, POCKET PIES, OR TURNOVERS OF VARIOUS SHAPES AND SIZES HAIL FROM ALL OVER THE GLOBE. IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A PIEROGI IN CLEVELAND YOU CAN THANK THE POLES WHO SETTLED THERE. EMPANADAS IN TEXAS? SAY THANKS TO SPAIN, SPECIFICALLY THE REGION OF GALICIA. ALTHOUGH LOUISIANA'S HOT MEAT PIES ALSO REFLECT SOME SPANISH INFLUENCE, IF YOU LOOK FURTHER BACK, YOU'LL SEE ARAB INTERVENTION IN THE FORM OF THE TRIANGULAR SAMBUSAK PASTRY. IF YOU'VE EVER TRAVELED THE AEGEAN, YOU'VE PROBABLY MUNCHED DOWN ON GREECE'S KOLOKOTES . AND OF COURSE, THERE'S THE CALZONE, WHICH MEANS "PANTS LEG" IN ITALIAN. BUT THE POCKET PIE CONCEPT REACHED ITS TRUE ZENITH IN THE ABLE HANDS OF CORNISH HOUSEWIVES WHO USED TO BAKE UP SMALL MEAT AND VEGETABLE PIES FOR THEIR COALMINER HUSBANDS. THEY'D WRAP THEM UP WHILE STILL WARM EITHER IN A NAPKIN OR AN OLD NEWSPAPER AND THEY'D STASH THEM IN LUNCHBOXES OR EVEN IN THE POCKETS OF THEIR MATES, WHO THEN WENT OFF TO THE COAL MINES. WHAT CAN I SAY... RE-ENACTMENTS ARE REALLY EXPENSIVE. WHEN LUNCHTIME CAME, THE MINER WOULD SIMPLY UNWRAP HIS PARCEL AND IF HIS WIFE HAD USED ENOUGH NEWSPAPER THE PIE WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE WARM. IF IT WASN'T QUITE WARM ENOUGH HE WOULD SIMPLE PLACE IT ON THE BLADE OF HIS SHOVEL AND WARM IT OVER HIS WEE LITTLE LANTERN. NOW IF THE MINER WAS REALLY LUCKY, HIS WIFE WOULD USE TWO DIFFERENT FILLINGS. SHE'D PUT A SAVORY FILLING IN ONE END OF THE PIE AND A SWEET FILLING IN THE OTHER. IT'S ME LUCKY DAY! NO, ACTUALLY, IT'S ME LUCKY DAY! SO PREVALENT WAS THE PASTY IN CORNISH CUISINE THAT IT IS SAID THAT THE DEVIL HIMSELF WOULD NOT GO TO CORNWALL FOR FEAR OF BEING COOKED INTO ONE OF THESE PIES. IS THAT TRUE? MAN, ARE YOU KIDDIN'? I'M SATAN, I'M A THIN RED DUDE, I'M NOT SCARED OF NO... AH! WELL, PERHAPS BEFORE WE ACTUALLY TRY TO MAKE PIES OF OUR OWN WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE VARIOUS CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR IN A POCKET PIE CRUST. THAT'S GONNA LEAVE A MARK. A PROPER POCKET PIE CRUST IS CHARACTERIZED BY TWO SEEMINGLY CONTRADICTORY TRAITS FLEXIBILITY AND STRENGTH. NOW THE FLEXIBILITY COMES FROM THE FACT THAT THE CRUST IS ACTUALLY A FOAM. JUST LIKE THE FOAM THAT YOU SEE HERE, MADE UP OF VERY, VERY TINY LITTLE BUBBLES. WELL, YOU CAN ALMOST SEE IT HERE. THIS IS EXACTLY, PRECISELY THE KIND OF THING THAT WE WANNA SEE IN OUR DOUGH. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE. STEP INTO MY OFFICE, PLEASE. WE ALSO WANNA SEE GLUTEN. THAT'S WHAT THIS STUFF IS. OKAY, IT'S REALLY CHICKEN WIRE, BUT WORK WITH ME HERE, OKAY? ANY LONGTIME FAN OF THIS SHOW KNOWS THAT GLUTEN IS A PROTEIN MATRIX CREATED WHEN WHEAT FLOUR IS MIXED TOGETHER WITH WATER. IN ITS RAW STATE IT'S VERY PLASTIC AND ELASTIC, BUT WHEN IT IS COOKED IT'S VERY, VERY RIGID. SO HOW DO WE GET RIGIDITY AND FLEXIBILITY INTO ONE DOUGH? BY NOT THINKING PIE. NO, WE MUST THINK BISCUIT. SOMEBODY GET ME OUT OF THIS THING! PERHAPS THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO REVIEW THE BISCUIT METHOD OF MIXING THINGS AFTER THIS DOUGH IS ESSENTIALLY A BISCUIT. COME THIS WAY, WON'T YOU? FIRST WE CUT SOLID FAT, IN THIS CASE SHORTENING, INTO FLOUR. THIS FLOUR WILL ALSO BE LACED WITH BOTH SALT AND BAKING POWDER. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GONNA GET THOSE NICE LITTLE BUBBLES. WHEN THAT IS DONE WE WILL THEN INTEGRATE DAIRY PRODUCT. IN THIS CASE, MILK. THAT IS WHERE WE GET BISCUITS, OR IN THIS CASE, POCKET PIE DOUGH. NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TO GO FIND SOME WIRE CUTTERS. EXCUSE ME, PARDON ME. WE NEED 2 TEASPOONS OF BAKING POWDER, AND 3/4 TEASPOON OF KOSHER SALT. IT GOES INTO 9 1/2 OUNCES OF ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR. THAT'S ABOUT 2 CUPS. AND THAT WE WILL SIFT, ONLY I REALLY HATE SIFTING, SO I'M GONNA DO THIS IN MY HANDY DANDY FOOD PROCESSOR. BESIDES MIXING, THE FOOD PROCESSOR WILL ALSO AERATE THE POWDERED GOODS, MAKING IT EASIER FOR THE MILK TO MIX IN LATER ON. THAT SHOULD JUST ABOUT DO IT. NOW THIS MIXTURE GOES INTO A NICE BIG WORK BOWL. BUT FIRST, 2 1/2 OUNCES OF SHORTENING, WHICH I HAVE CHILLED IN WATER. IT MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER TO WORK WITH. DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHATEVER LIQUID STICKS TO THAT. THE DRY GOODS GO ON TOP OF THAT. DON'T WORRY ABOUT GETTING A HOMOGENOUS MIXTURE HERE. JUST DISTRIBUTE THE FAT EVENLY, THE ROLLING PIN WILL EVEN THINGS OUT LATER. KINDA MUSH THE FLOUR INTO THE FAT USING THE TIPS OF YOUR FINGERS. THEY DON'T GET AS HOT AS YOUR PALMS SO IT WON'T MELT THE SHORTENING. MAKE A LITTLE WELL IN THE MIDDLE AND THEN POUR IN 3/4 CUPS OF MILK AND STIR IT IN GOOD. NOW THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM REGULAR BISCUITS WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO OVERWORK THEM. HERE, WE WANT GLUTEN SO STIR YOUR HEART OUT AND THEN TURN IT OUT ONTO A COUNTER, GIVE IT A LITTLE FLOUR AND KNEAD IT GOOD AND HARD 10 TO 20 TIMES. THE MORE THE MERRIER. THERE, NOW IS THE TIME TO SUMMON YOUR FAVORITE ROLLING PIN. I LIKE THIS FRENCH MODEL. NO BALL BEARINGS, NO HANDLES, NO FUNNY BUSINESS. JUST A NICE TAPER ON BOTH ENDS AND A NARROW DIAMETER FOR BETTER CONTROL. ROLL YOUR DOUGH OUT UNTIL IT'S ABOUT 1/2-INCH-THICK ALL THE WAY AROUND. GIVE OR TAKE A FEW MILLIMETERS, OF COURSE. THEN TAKE YOURSELF A 2 1/4-INCH CUTTING RING OR A COOKIE CUTTER, BISCUIT CUTTER, WHAT HAVE YOU, AND CUT OUT YOUR ROUNDS. REMEMBER TO PUSH DOWN TO THE BOARD AND THEN TWIST TO EXTRACT YOUR ROUND. ROLL YOUR REMNANT AND GET AS MANY MORE ROUNDS OUT OF IT AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN. THEN RE-FLOUR YOUR BOARD AND ROLL EACH ONE OF THE ROUNDS UNTIL IT'S 5 TO 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER. ABOUT LIKE THAT. AS YOU FINISH ROLLING OUT YOUR DOUGH ROUNDS, STACK THEM UP IN WAX PAPER. SINCE A LITTLE SHOT OF COLD WILL FIRM THE FAT IN THESE ROUNDS, MAKING THEM EASIER TO DEAL WITH LATER, YOU MIGHT WANT TO STASH THEM IN YOUR CHILL CHEST FOR AN HOUR OR TWO PRIOR TO FORMING THE FINAL PIES. THIS WILL GIVE YOU TIME TO CONTEMPLATE THE PROPER FILLING. NOW IF WE HAD SOME FRESH FRUIT... WE'D BE IN LUCK. WOW, MANGOES, MY FAVORITE! AND GOSH, THEY ARE NICE AND RIPE. YOU KNOW, THE PROBLEM WITH WORKING WITH THESE ANCIENT COUSINS OF THE CASHEW IS THAT THEY HAVE A FLESH THAT CLINGS RELENTLESSLY TO THESE FLAT, FIBROUS SEEDS. NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF STRANGE RECOMMENDATIONS OUT THERE FOR HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS. ONE INVOLVES CUTTING THE MANGO KIND OF IN HALF WITH A PARING KNIFE AND THEN CRISS-CROSSING THE INSIDE AND THEN SCOOPING IT OUT... YOU KNOW, I'D RATHER REMOVE THE THYMUS GLAND FROM A GERBIL. HERE'S WHAT I WILL DO THOUGH. ♪♪ THERE, NOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO HAVE TO HOLD ONTO THIS WET, SLIMY THING WITH ONE HAND WHILE TRYING TO CARVE IT WITH THIS KNIFE IN THE OTHER. I JUST WOULDN'T DO IT. HERE'S WHAT I WOULD DO THOUGH. SLICE JUST A LITTLE BIT OFF OF EACH END AND TAKE A CORN ON THE COB HOLDER AND PUSH IT RIGHT DOWN INTO THAT SEED. THEN YOU CAN HOLD ON TO THE HOLDER WHILE YOU CARVE OFF THE SIDES OF THE MANGO. LOOK, NO MUSS, NO FUSS. THERE, AS THE COOK YOU SHOULD GET A FEW BENNIES EVERY NOW AND THEN. ♪♪ ♪♪ BRING THIS TO A BOIL OVER HIGH HEAT. THEN CLAMP ON YOUR LID, DROP THE HEAT TO A SIMMER, AND COOK FOR HALF AN HOUR. MOVE YOUR MANGO MIXTURE TO A LARGE STAINLESS STEEL BOWL AND COOL IT ON THE COUNTER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE STASHING IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR UNTIL IT'S THOROUGHLY CHILLED, ABOUT THREE OR FOUR HOURS. WHY THE STAINLESS STEEL BOWL? BECAUSE METAL IS A CONDUCTOR, IT'LL HELP MOVE HEAT AWAY FROM THE FRUIT FASTER THAN EITHER GLASS OR PLASTIC EVER COULD. I'LL BE BACK. WOW, TIME FLIES WHEN YOU'RE ON TV. LET'S PILE ONE ON, SHALL WE. I'VE GOT MY STATION ALL SET UP. EXTRACT A DOUGH, PLACE IT IN FRONT OF ME THUSLY, GET A WEE SPOONFUL OF FILLING AND PLACE OFF TO ONE SIDE. THIS IS THE FIRST PLACE YOU CAN MAKE BIG MISTAKES WITH THIS KIND OF PIE BECAUSE THE MIXTURE IS FULL OF WATER, WATER TURNS TO STEAM DURING COOKING AND IT CAN BLOW A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE PIE. SO NO MORE THAN THAT FAT SPOONFUL. NEXT, WE HAVE A LITTLE EGGWASH. THIS IS NOTHING BUT ONE EGG WITH 2 TEASPOONS OF WATER. LIGHTLY BRUSH ON WITH YOUR FINGER, NO NEED FOR A BASTING BRUSH. THEN WE FOLD OVER. YOU WANNA WORK THIS SO THAT ANY AIR AROUND THE FILLING WORKS ITS WAY OUT. DON'T TRY TO PUSH DOWN ON THE DOUGH. THIS ISN'T A SEALING STEP, JUST AN AIRING OUT STEP. THE SEALING WILL COME FROM THE FORK. THERE'S AN ART TO CRIMPING. YOU WANT TO LAY THE BOWL OF THE FORK DOWN ON THE COUNTER AND JUST ROLL THE TINES ON UNTIL THEY MAKE THAT IMPRESSION. THE LAST THING YOU WANNA DO IS SQUEEZE SO HARD THAT YOU PUNCH A HOLE IN IT OR CUT THE DOUGH. THERE, JUST ROLL IT ON. I'M NOT PUSHING DOWN, I'M ROLLING ON. THERE, WORK YOUR WAY ALL THE WAY AROUND. NOTICE THAT I'M OVERLAPPING, PUTTING THE TIME IN THE SLOT OF THE LAST CRIMP ALL THE WAY AROUND. WE MOVE THIS TO ITS RESTING PLACE ON A PIECE OF PARCHMENT ON A SHEETPAN. I'M GONNA LABEL IT "M" FOR MANGO. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE GONNA CUT SOME STEAM HOLES IN IT WITH SHEARS. ONE, TWO, THREE. I THINK THIS DOES A LOT LESS DAMAGE THAN USING A KNIFE. NOW THE MANGO FILLING IS DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE FRUIT FILLING, BUT THAT ISN'T TO SAY IT'S MY FAVORITE PIE FILLING. LET'S SAY FOR A MOMENT THAT YOU HAD 10 OUNCES OF BUTTER IN A BAG AND TO THAT BAG YOU ADDED 2 1/2 CUPS OF SUGAR. THEN 1/4 CUP PLUS 1 TABLESPOON OF YOUR FAVORITE COCOA POWDER AND JUST A NICE HEAVY PINCH OF SALT. IF YOU SEALED UP THAT BAG, GETTING SOME OF THE AIR OUT, AND KNEADED IT UP INTO A NICE PASTE YOU WOULD HAVE MY FAVORITE PIE FILLING, AN OLD-FASHIONED CHOCOLATE FILLING, AND YOU'D HAVE ENOUGH FOR 15 TO 20 PIES. AND DISPENSING IS NICE AND EASY. THERE YA GO. NOW YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING, ARE SWEET DESSERT PIES THE ONLY POCKET PIES AVAILABLE? OF COURSE NOT, THERE ARE MYRIADS OF SAVORY OPTIONS. GOT BEEF OR VEGETABLE STEW? THEN YOU'VE GOT A SAVORY POCKET PIE WAITING TO HAPPEN. JUST FILL IT UP AS YOU WOULD WITH THE OTHER FILLINGS AND YOU'VE GOT YOURSELF A NICE CORNISH PASTY. OR PERHAPS YOU'RE IN THE MOOD FOR PIZZA? NO PROBLEM, JUST SPOON ON A LITTLE SAUCE AND KINDA SMEAR IT OUT, NOT GETTING TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE, AND ADD YOUR FAVORITE TOPPINGS, JUST GO LIGHT. A LITTLE BIT OF GRATED CHEESE... I LIKE GREEN ONIONS, BUT THAT'S JUST ME. PEPPERONI'S FINE 'CAUSE IT'S NICE AND FLEXIBLE. AGAIN, JUST DON'T OVER-STUFF OR YOU'LL BE SORRY LATER. A LITTLE BIT OF YOUR EGGWASH GOES ON JUST HALF OF THE DOUGH AND THEN FOLD OVER. MAKE SURE YOU WORK OUT AS MUCH AIR AS POSSIBLE BEFORE YOU GET TO THE CRIMPING. AND OF COURSE, WHEN IT COMES TO CRIMPING AGAIN, ROLL THE FORK ON. YOU DON'T WANT TO PUNCH HOLES IN IT. WHEN IT COMES TIME TO COOK YOUR PIES YOU COULD JUST PARK THEM IN A 350-DEGREE OVEN FOR 25 TO 30 MINUTES. YOU'D GET THE JOB DONE, BUT IF YOU ASK ME, THERE ARE SOME TASTIER TANGENTS TO TAKE. ♪♪ TO PAN-FRY YOUR HAND PIES YOU'LL NEED A HEAVY SKILLET, PREFERABLY A CAST IRON. AND YOU'LL WANT THAT SET OVER MEDIUM-LOW HEAT. RELATIVELY LOW HEAT BECAUSE WE WILL BE COOKING WITH A WEE PAT OF BUTTER. THERE WE GO. WE MIGHT NEED A LITTLE MORE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY PIES, BUT THIS PAN WILL ONLY HOLD TWO. THIS IS A METHOD TAUGHT TO ME BY MY GRANDMOTHER AND I THINK HER GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT HER. IT'S A METHOD THAT'S BASED ON WANTING TO GET A LOT OF FLAVOR OUT OF A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL AND NOT A WHOLE LOT OF FAT. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S POOR PEOPLE WORKIN' FOOD. WHEN THAT'S MELTED WE WILL GO WITH TWO PIES. CAREFULLY ARRANGE THEM WITH THE ROUNDED SIDE FACING OUT. KIND OF GIVE IT A JIGGLE TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T STICK IN THOSE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF COOKING. NOW THIS METHOD, IT IS SAID, ORIGINATED WITH THE SLAVES, AMERICAN SLAVES. AFTER BAKING FANCY LATTICE-TOPPED PIES FOR THEIR MASTERS UP IN THE BIG HOUSE, THEY WOULD SNEAK WHATEVER REMNANTS THEY COULD OUT OF THE KITCHEN. AND THEY WOULD PUT TOGETHER THESE SMALL HAND PIES THAT THE WORKERS COULD KIND OF SNEAK OUT WITH THEM INTO THE FIELDS SO THEY WOULD GET ENOUGH TO EAT. ODDLY ENOUGH, IT'S A METHOD THAT'S BEEN USED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. FOR INSTANCE, IN CHINA WHERE THERE'S OFTEN NOT ENOUGH FAT OR FUEL TO COOK WITH, THIS IS EXACTLY HOW YOU TREAT POTSTICKERS. WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY ARE, ONLY WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THEM STICK. TIME TO FLIP. VERY CAREFUL, YOU DON'T WANT TO SPLASH ANY BUTTER. WE'RE GONNA LET THESE COOK FOR ANOTHER THREE TO FOUR MINUTES, OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS. NOW THIS ISN'T ACTUALLY MY FAVORITE METHOD, FLAVORFUL THOUGH IT IS. MY FAVORITE METHOD IS... BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I'M TALKING ABOUT DEEP-FRIED POCKET PIES. YOU WILL REQUIRE ONE LARGE DEEP VESSEL, CAST IRON IS GOOD. ABOUT 2 QUARTS OF COOKING OIL, CANOLA'S WHAT I HAVE HERE. A THERMOMETER THAT YOU TRUST TO ENSURE 375 DEGREES, WHICH IS THE TARGET. AND YOU'LL ALSO WANT A DRAINING RIG OF SOME TYPE. I PREFER A COOLING RACK TURNED UPSIDE DOWN OVER NEWSPAPER. OH, COME ON, WE'VE GONE OVER THIS BEFORE. BY HAVING DIRECT CONTACT BETWEEN THE METAL RACK AND THE NEWSPAPER THE PAPER CAN WICK AWAY OIL FROM THE PIES FASTER. YOU'RE ALSO GONNA NEED AN EXTRACTION DEVICE. I LIKE THIS WIRE MESH STRAINER. ONE LAST NOTE, BEFORE THE PIES GO IN YOU WANNA PREP THEM A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY FOR THE DEEP-FRYER. INSTEAD OF SNIPPING THEM ACROSS THE TOP AND CREATING STEAM VENTS, YOU WANT TO POKE WITH A FORK OR DOCK. THAT WAY WE WILL LOSE LESS OF THE FILLING DURING COOKING. NOW DON'T JUST GO DROPPING THEM IN OR YOU WILL DEEPLY REGRET IT. YOU WANT TO BASICALLY RELEASE THEM AS THOUGH THEY WERE LITTLE FISH. AND DON'T GO MORE THAN ABOUT THREE AT A TIME. WE'RE GONNA COOK THEM UNTIL THEY FLOAT AND ARE GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS. THREE TO FOUR MINUTES. DON'T FORGET, YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO CHANGE YOUR OIL TEMPERATURE TO MAKE UP FOR THE HEAT THAT'S BEING SUCKED OUT BY THE PIES. YOU HEAR THAT KIND OF DEEP PING-PING-PING KIND OF SOUND? THAT MEANS THAT THE PIES ARE BASICALLY DONE. IT'S EXCESS MOISTURE LEAVING THE PIES THAT WE DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE PIES. SO WE WILL FISH THEM OUT. BESIDES, THEY'RE A NICE GOLDEN BROWN AND DELICIOUS. WE'LL SPACE THOSE OUT ON OUR COOLING RACK. NOW YOU'RE GONNA WANNA LET THESE SIT AND COOL FOR AT LEAST FIVE MINUTES. WELL, IF YOU DON'T YOU'LL BURN YOUR MOUTH AND THAT'S NOT GOOD EATS. HERE WE HAVE POUFY BAKED PIES, BLISTERED DEEP-FRIED PIES, I LIKE THOSE A LOT, AND THE VERY FLAT, BUT VERY CARAMELIZED PAN-FRIED PIES. ALL MADE WITH THE EXACT SAME DOUGH AND ALL WITH DIFFERENT FILLINGS. VARIETY, IT'S THE SPICE OF LIFE. NOW IT SEEMS THAT I HAVE MADE EVEN MORE THAN I COULD EAT AT ONE SITTING. SO WE NEED TO CONSIDER SOME STORAGE OPTIONS. THE FRUIT PIES AND THE CHOCOLATE PIES ONCE THOSE ARE COOLED YOU COULD SIMPLY PUT THOSE IN ZIP-TOP BAGS AND STASH THEM IN YOUR BREAD BOX AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, OF COURSE, FOR UP TO A WEEK. THE MEAT PIES, OF COURSE, SHOULD PROBABLY BE REFRIGERATED ALSO FOR UP TO A WEEK, BUT YOU'LL WANT TO RE-TOAST THOSE SO THAT THE DOUGH ISN'T SOGGY. NOW IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LONGTERM SOLUTIONS, WELL, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK INTO YOUR FREEZER. SIMPLY PARK YOUR UNCOOKED PIES ON A METAL SHEETPAN OR COOKIE SHEET AND FREEZE THEM UNTIL THEY ARE ROCK-HARD. THEN YOU CAN STASH THEM FOR UP TO ABOUT THREE MONTHS IN A FREEZER BAG. WHEN IT COMES TIME TO RE-HEAT, STICK THEM STRAIGHT INTO A 350-DEGREE OVEN. ♪♪ ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1964, THE HAND PIE WORLD CHANGED FOREVER. FOR IT WAS UPON THAT FATEFUL DAY THAT THESE WERE UNLEASHED UPON THE PLANET. LIKE THE HAND PIES OF OLD, THIS WAS MEANT TO BE CONSUMED ON THE GO WITHOUT THE AID OF UTENSILS. IT WOULD FIT IN A GLOVE COMPARTMENT, A BRIEFCASE, A PURSE, AND IT WAS PERFECTLY SIZED TO SLIDE RIGHT INTO THE MOST AMERICAN OF ALL CULINARY INVENTIONS. BY THE TIME "SGT. PEPPER" HIT THE AIRWAVES THIS DEVICE WAS THE MOST POPULAR MANUFACTURED BREAKFAST FOOD IN AMERICA. TASTE ONE TODAY, YOU'LL BE A TRIFLE DISAPPOINTED. MAKE YOUR OWN, WELL, THEN YOU'RE GONNA TASTE THE LOVE. MAKING YOUR OWN TOASTER PASTRIES IS A SNAP. JUST START WITH THE SAME DOUGH WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL DAY AND SPLIT IT IN HALF. TAKE EACH ONE OF THOSE PIECES AND ROLL IT OUT NICE AND SLOW AND CAREFUL LIKE WITH YOUR FRENCH ROLLING PIN -- ALWAYS HELPFUL -- UNTIL YOU'VE GOT A RECTANGLE THAT'S 12 INCHES BY 10 INCHES. I LIKE TO USE THIS CONSTRUCTION T TO ACTUALLY SQUARE THINGS OFF AND DIVIDE IT INTO 4-BY-5-INCH PIECES. THEN YOU CAN JUST RUB YOUR EGGWASH ALL THE WAY AROUND AND THEN LADLE ON WHATEVER FILLING YOU WANT. IN THIS CASE I'M USING ABOUT 1 1/2 TEASPOONS TO 2 TEASPOONS OF BLUEBERRY PRESERVES. THEN YOU'RE GONNA TAKE YOUR OTHER PIECE -- NOT PICTURED -- ROLL IT OUT, CUT IT INTO THE SAME SIZES SO THAT YOU'VE BASICALLY GOT LIDS FOR THE TOPS OF YOUR TOASTER PASTRIES. BUT BEFORE YOU PUT THEM ON YOU WANNA DOCK THEM A FORK ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO TEN TIMES AND THEN LAY THEM RIGHT DOWN ON TOP. AGAIN, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KINDA SMOOTH THE EXCESS AIR OUT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE DOCKED IT, IT COULD BLOW UP LIKE NASTY BUBBLES AND YOU DON'T WANT THAT. SEAL THE EDGES KIND OF AS YOU GO AND THEN GO BACK AND DO ALL YOUR CRIMPING AT ONCE. IF AT ANY TIME THE DOUGH GETS MUSHY ON YOU JUST COVER IT WITH WAX PAPER AND THEN PLACE A PAN, AN UPSIDE DOWN SHEET PAN THAT YOU'VE KEPT IN THE FREEZER ON TOP. IT'LL SUCK OUT SOME OF THE HEAT AND HELP THE FAT TO HARDEN. THEN GET TO CRIMPIN'. SLIDE INTO A 350-DEGREE OVEN FOR 20 MINUTES. ♪♪ WHEN THEY'RE DONE THEY WON'T BE BROWN AT ALL -- NOT YET. THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE ONLY PAR-COOKING THEM HERE. THEY'LL FINISH IN YOUR TOASTER. LET THESE COOL COMPLETELY THEN STASH THEM IN A ZIP-TOP BAG IN YOUR BREAD BOX. OR BAG, TAG, AND FREEZE FOR UP TO A MONTH. THAT WAY WHEN BREAKFAST COMES YOU'LL BE READY. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS POP A COUPLE IN THE TOASTER AND YOU'VE GOT BREAKFAST. I THINK I'LL HAVE BOYSENBERRY AND GINGER LIME TODAY. OR MAYBE TWO CHOCOLATES. HECK, I'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF EACH. I CERTAINLY HOPE THAT WE'VE INSTILLED IN YOU A HEALTHY DESIRE TO TAKE HAND PIES INTO YOUR OWN HANDS. ONE BASIC DOUGH, CUNNINGLY CRAFTED CAN BECOME A TASTY, TANTALIZING ENVELOPE FOR A WIDE SPECTRUM OF GOODIES, FROM MEAT TO POTATOES TO CHOCOLATE, TO ANYWHERE BEYOND. AND THE BEST THING IS, YOU NEVER HAVE TO SHARE A PIE EVER AGAIN. AND YOU CAN EVEN KEEP ONE IN YOUR POCKET, JUST IN CASE. I'M ALTON BROWN, SEE YA NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS." Captioned by Scripps Networks, Inc. IT'S ME LUCKY DAY! YOU KNOW, IN COMEDY, TIMING REALLY IS EVERYTHING.