CHRISTMAS dinner wrapped in pastry? The idea is not so pie in the sky.
Four years ago, Iceland created an instant hit with its festive pie . . . and now the rest of the supermarkets are getting in on the action with their own versions.
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Inspired by the traditional roast and all the trimmings, they will give a new twist to our usual savoury slices.
Lynsey Hope and Julia Etherington try the pies and bakes, then mark them out of five.
Tesco pigs in blankets steak pie (500g)
£5, £1 per 100g
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THE steak pie with six pigs in blankets on top is a little underwhelming if you are looking to evoke that festive feeling.
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Although marketed as a seasonal product, you can have a steak pie at any time and this one is pretty standard, although the meat is tasty.
But the potatoes were too hard.
When it came out of the oven, it struck me it needed a lid, as the gravy had burnt.
I won’t be sad if I don’t have one of these in my stocking.
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Score: 2/5
Pukka Christmas dinner pie (217g)
£2, 92p per 100g
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THIS had the best pastry of all the pies.
It was flaky and golden – and crisped up beautifully in the 30-minute cooking time.
The plentiful chicken pieces were succulent and I liked the sausage being cut up rather than whole, as it was easier to eat.
This one is pricier than most, at £92 per 100g.
But 10p of this goes to a homeless charity . . . and it is the season for giving.
Score: 3/5
M&S turkey and trimmings pie (245g)
£5, £2.04 per 100g
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FOR a fiver you would expect this to be very good. And it is.
The pastry is topped with caramelised onion and sage crumbs.
The gravy oozes out and the white wine is the first thing I tasted.
The turkey is like it just fell off the bone.
This has to be a contender for the crown.
But it is pricey.
To feed my family of six would cost £30.
I’d be crackers to part with that much.
Score: 4/5
Greggs festive bake (152g)
£1.95, £1.28 per 100g
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CLEARLY popular, as I had to go to a couple of branches to find one, as they had sold out.
The chicken, sage and onion stuffing, bacon and creamy sage and cranberry sauce is encased in puff pastry.
The chicken falls apart in the mouth, the pastry is crisp and there is just the right amount of sauce.
A lot of stuffing, which I liked, but may not be to everyone’s taste.
It is the priciest per 100g at £1.28, but to be fair, you don’t have to cook it yourself.
Score: 3/5
Iceland festive pie (400g)
£3 for two, 75p per 100g
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VERY tasty.
But if I was being picky, it could do with a little more filling.
It really did have the flavour of a Christmas dinner in a pie.
Very festive and a lovely treat.
While it was more expensive than the ones from Asda and Aldi, it beat them on taste.
Would it be luxurious enough for the big day itself?
I’m not sure, but I’ll definitely eat a few in the run-up.
Score: 5/5
Aldi festive pie (400g)
£2.49 for two, 62p per 100g
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THE Aldi offering takes nearly 40 minutes to cook and was falling apart a bit when I served it.
It also looked pale compared to the others.
The pastry was covered in dried parsley, which I didn’t like.
There wasn’t enough chicken or bacon and it tasted a bit watery.
Inside, there was a pork cocktail sausage wrapped in bacon, which was nice, but it wasn’t my favourite.
Great price, though.
Score: 2/5
Asda fabulous Christmas pie (680g)
£3.50, 51p per 100g
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A LOVELY seasonal treat.
The chicken in this was succulent and the bacon had a lovely salty smokiness to it.
The stuffing flavour didn’t come through very strongly and I found some of the carrots and parsnips a little hard to eat.
But a good family-sized pie.
It takes 45-50 minutes in the oven and that is dinner cooked.
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An easy meal for the festive season.
Score: 4/5
