I've had a Breville Pie Magic for years now. Mine makes two pies at a time, but I believe the newest models, by Sunbeam, make 4 pies. I don't buy ready baked pies these days, both because of the fat content and also because you can't guarantee what you're eating, what with tales of pink slime in ground beef and goodness knows what else. However, with the Pie Magic, I'm in control. I make shortcrust pastry, then roll it out really thin, so for a start that's much more healthy. Then I fill the pies with leftover cooked minced beef or stewed steak, or vegetables in a home made tomato sauce - or whatever takes my fancy, really. 10 minutes in the Pie Magic, and the pies are crispy and golden and ready to eat. It's also Handy for making up batches of fruit pies when there's a glut of seasonal fruit. It's time consuming, because you can only cook two pies at a time, but I usually set aside and hour or two to make up a batch, then freeze what we don't eat. The cooking plates are non-stick, so it's easy to clean when I've finished, and it stands on its side for easy storage. Anyone else a fan of Pie Magic? What sort of pies did you cook?
I have not tried Pie Magic, but you certainly have me intrigued. I think I would find more use out of the 4-pie model, however simply because of the convenience of making fruit pies and freezing them for later use. 10 minutes is all it really takes?
Yes, because you're filling the pies with cooked ingredients, and rolling the pastry thinner than normal. If you wanted to make a batch of steak or chicken pies, you'd cook your filling thoroughly first. You can even use canned fillings, if there's a particular favourite, but it's cheaper and more nutritious to make the fillings from scratch. In effect, you're getting heat from the top and the bottom, as both the non-stick plates get hot - that's why they cook so quickly. A 4 pie version would be more convenient for me, but they only had the 2 pie model when I bought mine many years ago. When it breaks down, I'll replace it with a 4 pie model - and I will replace it, because it's very useful.
I've never even heard of Pie Magic! I need to investigate further, though. It sounds great - especially as you could make batches of pies up, then freeze them for consumption at a later date.
Some years ago, Breville discontinued the Pie Magic, and there was an internet petition to bring it back. In its new incarnation, it's a 4 pie model, and Anthony Worral Thompson has come out with one in the UK, which sells for between £10 and £25, depending on where you buy it. It's a healthy way to eat pies, because the pastry is thin, and the ingredients home made. That said, I sometimes use Sainsbury's Stewed Steak in cans. It's 95% meat, and low fat, so it's one of the healthiest processed foods you can buy. It makes 6 pies, so if you're in a hurry, it's a good choice for a healthy, tasty meal.
