Top 8: We help you pick your perfect pastry pie

The upper-crust of shop-bought pies

Pic: iStock

There’s a time and place for a decent pastry pie, and a chilly evening by the fire when you need comfort fits both criteria. Make no mistake, there are fats in pastry — the simplest version is made from butter, flour, salt and water — so this type of eating belongs to the treat category.

For balance, serve the pie with a fresh salad — finely-grated carrot, diced red onion, and a drained can of chickpeas, which need just a squeeze of lemon. If the salad is substantial, we can share a pie.