Pidy pastry, famous for crisp, golden, and buttery texture

By Fabien Levet, Commercial Manager at Pidy UK

“Pies and pastries are staples across British menus, whether that’s sweet or savoury, shortcrust or puff pastry, elegant or comforting. In a fast food setting, consumers may expect to see options such as a light quiche at their favourite lunch grab and go spot or a hearty steak and kidney pie at the local chippy.

In these fast-paced environments it can be challenging to make pastry in house due to space, time, equipment, and staff restraints. Operators can alleviate this stress by utilising ready-to-fill pastry solutions, such as Pidy’s extensive portfolio. Famous for their crisp, golden, and ‘buttery’ texture, Pidy’s pastries combine the taste of homemade with consistent quality.

To lean into the traditional understanding of a pie, chefs could utilise Pidy’s puff pastry shell that comes complete with a round disc, or ‘hat’ to place on top. The neutral finish of this versatile base makes it compatible with a range of flavours, but works best with savoury fillings. For the best result, operators should bake the empty shells at 170OC for 8 minutes to ensure the exterior is crispy. This also helps improve moisture resistance, making it ideal for chefs that want to prep and fill pastries before the busy lunch or dinner rush. The shells can also be frozen once filled for even greater convenience. With a shelf life of nine months, operators won’t have to worry about running out of stock, guaranteeing they can meet customer demand.

Operators looking to tap into trends such as the demand for international cuisine could easily add a ‘pie of the day’ (or week!) which draws inspiration from a different country each time. For example, chefs could take inspiration from Pidy’s Moroccan-inspired chicken tagine recipe – simply season chicken with garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cover with lemon slices, stock, and olive oil. Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes. Add raisins, prunes, and olives, before covering and cooking again for a further 45 minutes. Slice the chicken, then spoon the mixture into a Pidy pastry of your choice.

On the sweet front, customers could be tempted by a small bite-sized snack, perfect for enjoying on the go with a coffee. To meet this demand while incorporating seasonal flavours, operators could take inspiration from Pidy’s Cinnamon Zakouski Pumpkin Pie recipe. Simply fill Pidy’s cinnamon puff pastry bites with a pecan crisp, pumpkin ganache, and maple syrup infused whipped cream. The full recipe can be found on page 15 of their free autumn recipe booklet, available here: https://linktr.ee/gourmetpidy?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6518bd92-e98d-41c0-8139-74f4c98a4d92 . This recipe is ideal for capitalising on limited-time seasonal offers in a more elevated way.”

For more information on the Pidy pastry range please visit www.pidy.co.uk, call 01604 705 666. To keep up to date with the latest news from Pidy UK see @PidyUK on twitter or search for ‘Pidy UK’ on Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin or YouTube.