As a gale rages outside, and winter firmly ousts autumn, nothing is more comforting than a warm pie for dinner. It really is one of the best and simplest of pleasures. Pie contains a delightfully comprehensive collection of pies and pastries, both sweet and savoury, so you are bound to find something you like.

After a brief introduction from the author, there is a small chapter on the history of pie, which is an interesting read if you are not already familiar. This is followed by a few chapters on ingredients and equipment that a would-be pie maker would need to have to hand.

The 80+ recipes are broken down into 5 chapters: Meat, Seafood, Vegetarian, Not-quite-a-pie, and finally Sweet Pies. Just about all the recipes are accompanied by a beautiful photo of the finished dish, and for me this is a key component to entice me to try a recipe. Some of the more complex techniques even contain very useful step-by-step photos.

I have baked for years, but am always still a little nervous around pastry as it can be a tricksy thing to manage sometimes. This book lays things out in a way that makes dealing with pastry much more achievable. The recipes themselves are clear and easy to follow, but some involve quite a few stages, so I would advise some experience is required.

My favourite recipes Spanish Chicken Pie, Tomato and Thyme Tarte Tatin, and Caramel Macadamia Oaty Tart. There are still loads of mouth-watering looking recipes in this book I am to try, much to the chagrin of my waistline.

The book closes with a chapter of basic recipes and techniques which are referenced throughout the book. This is a great book to encourage you to produce tasty pies and improve your pastry techniques.

This book is published by Jacqui Small and is available now.

If you are interested in a copy of this book, the Mutherfudger Facebook page is giving you an opportunity to win a copy. See the page for details.