When making a meat pie do you bake the crust before filling it?

Blind Baking

For some pies, such as those made with a crumbly or shortcrust pastry, you will need to blind bake the pastry crust before adding the filling. This means baking the pastry crust on its own, without any filling, until it is cooked through but not browned. This will help to prevent the pastry from becoming soggy when the filling is added.

No Blind Baking

For other types of pies, such as those made with a strong pastry crust, you do not need to blind bake the crust before filling it. Simply add the filling to the uncooked pastry crust and bake the pie until the crust is golden brown and the filling is cooked through.

Here are some general tips for blind baking a pastry crust:

- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.

- Transfer the pastry to a pie pan and trim the edges.

- Prick the bottom of the pastry crust with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking.

- Line the pastry crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.

- Bake the pastry crust in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is cooked through but not browned.

- Remove the pie weights or beans and parchment paper and let the pastry crust cool completely before adding the filling.