4 scrumptious pies to make in 45 minutes or less

Beef-and-mushroom pie

All the hearty flavours of the original, in half the time. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat 1 T olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan. Pan-fry 250 g quartered mushrooms until tender. Season, then set aside. Heat 2 T olive oil in the pan. Brown 500 g beef mince then 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 cloves chopped garlic and 125 ml white wine or the same amount of chicken stock with a splash of vinegar. Reduce by half, then add the mushrooms and 125 ml cream. Cook until the cream thickens. Roll out 2 sheets Woolies all-butter puff pastry. Place the filling in the centre of 1 sheet and brush the edges with beaten egg. Top with the other pastry sheet and crimp the edges using a fork. Brush the pie with egg and bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Quick chicken-and-mushroom pie

Your secret shortcut ingredient? Rotisserie chicken! Heat the oven to 180°C. Add 1 T olive oil, 2 t butter, 3 chopped leeks, ½ chopped onion and 2 cloves crushed garlic to a pan over medium heat. Gently fry to soften. Add 200 g sliced brown mushrooms and fry until golden. Add 2 cups chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir ½ cup cream. Remove all the flesh from 1 rotisserie chicken and add to the mushrooms and stock. Remove from the heat and spoon into a large ovenproof dish. Top with 1 sheet Woolies puff pastry, folding the edges over the dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.

Beetroot tarte tatin

Because, upside down pies are pies too. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Place 2 T butter, 2 T brown sugar and 2 T balsamic vinegar in an ovenproof, nonstick pan over a medium heat and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Peel and slice 8 beetroot bulbs and slices into 1cm thick slices. Arrange the slices on the base of the pan and cook until tender. Place 1 sheet thawed Woolies all-butter puff pastry over the pan to cover the beetroot and tuck it in neatly around the edges. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven, turn the tart out onto a serving dish and garnish with pink peppercorns.

Caprese open pie

Caprese salad meets the comfort-food factor of butter pastry? Now there’s a mash-up we can get behind. Preheat your oven at 200°C. Halve 1 sheet thawed Woolworths all-butter puff pastry lengthways, then grate over 30 g matured, hard cheese like Parmesan. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with 350 g panfried exotic tomatoes, fresh torn basil, a couple of pieces of torn fresh mozzarella, and salt and pepper to taste.

Thought that was quick? You ain’t seen nothing yet. One of Woolies’ ready-made family-sized pies in chicken, peppersteak and chicken-and-mushroom varieties are ready in a matter of minutes. And currently on promotion as part of Woolies’ Eat-in for 4 for under R150 deal.

Learn more about Today With Woolies here.