When Pies Fly, a Review

You know when you start to drool (seriously, there was actual drool) while paging through a cookbook that you have a winner. Such is the case with Cathy Barrow’s new release, When Pies Fly. She has outdone herself with this one, doing the impossible, exceeding the fabulousness of her previous book Pie Squared, the definitive book on slab pies. This book has 75 mouthwatering creations for various pastry-wrapped international, as well as traditional specialties. Things such as empanadas (one of my favorite things) knishes (she really had me at knishes) stromboli (yep, love them too), as well as loads of other savory pie-like items. I am a savory more than a sweet person, so I have long been waiting for this book to arrive.

 I haven’t been this excited since the Blues won the Stanley Cup. I nearly wept when I paged through, moaning and groaning to such an extent as to have, no doubt, raised an eyebrow or two in the neighborhood. 

With cheeseburgers being my absolutely favorite food, the Cheeseburger Hand Pies turned my head. They are going to be the first recipe that I try from this book.

If you are uncomfortable making pies, Cathy is going to calm you down. Her rustic pies are perfect for the beginner, her snacking pies will have people flocking to your home for a quick nosh, the single-serve pies are perfect for the man or woman living alone, and there are plenty of delicious sweet pies for those of you who can’t do without dessert.

She offers up a wonderful introduction, has a great section on demystifying pie dough, offers a dairy free option, even quick puff pastry pies, as well as plenty of kolaches, both sweet and savory. 

For the seasoned veteran, there are some pretty fancy crusts here; for pie rookies like me, there are comprehensive instructions, as well as beautiful pictures for every recipe in the book.

 I cannot say enough about this book. Buy one for yourself, buy one for friends, and buy one for every member of your family. In this new book, When Pies Fly, Handmade Pastries from Strudels to Stromboli, Empanadas to Knishes, Cathy Barrow has presented pie making in a fun, doable, and mouthwatering way. Get a copy! I mean it. You will thank me later.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

This post contains affiliate links.

Pie Squared, Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies, Reviewed

I get to see a lot of cookbooks, and I’m grateful for that. Because I love cookbooks, I generally like every one of them, but only about 40% really blow my skirt up. Among those 40% is the new cookbook by Cathy Barrow called Pie Squared (Gosh, I love that!), Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies. What is a “slab pie,” you ask? For the uninitiated, a slab pie is much like a regular pie except it is unfussy, allows you to avoid what I hate the most, that meticulous rolling out and shaping of piecrust, they are made in a sheet pan, and can make enough to serve a family at dinner, or an entire crowd. They can be either sweet or savory, and if you have even the slightest interest in trying them out, this book is absolutely for you.

Pie Squared includes more than 60 savory and sweet pie recipes along with 20 crust and toppings recipes. In addition, there are step-by-step instructions on how to make each one, a section on glazes, squiggles, and drizzles, a nice illustration on how to cut slab pies (cutting pies has always been my nemesis), and instructions on how to store and freeze them. 

I was so excited when I saw this book that I immediately went to Amazon and bought myself a half-sized cookie sheet with a rim (this one) in order to make the recipe for Just Like Artichoke Dip Slab Pie with Cream Cheese Crust. I am a sucker for artichoke dip, not just because I love the way it tastes, but also because that was the very first thing my late husband made for me when we started dating. So, I’ve always had a special feeling about it. I cut this recipe in half, something I found doable with most of the recipes in this book, so that I could have some for dinner, another slice for lunch, and freeze the rest so I have some for later. More to follow on this.

Among the recipes are Chocolate Pecan Slab Pie with a Chocolate Crust (!!), pictured above, Absolutely Peachy Slab Pie with an All-Butter Crust, “The Reuben” Slab Pie with Rye Crust, and one that looks worth trying for Thanksgiving, Sesame Sweet Potato Slab Pie with a Gingersnap Crust (Heavens!). Honestly, there is something here for everybody.

Winner!

 Order your own copy and one for a friend by clicking the box below.

This post contains affiliate links.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Abram Publishers in exchange for an honest review.