7 hours ago
I learned how to make a pie at Hairy Biker Si King's North East restaurant
When Hairy Biker Si King opened his first restaurant in Sunderland in December, the demand was so high that it took barely three months before they expanded their opening days.
I wanted to see why the pies were creating such a buzz in the city and why they were becoming a firm favourite part of the pre-match ritual for Sunderland fans.
Set in the shadow of the Stadium of Light, Sheepfolds Stables is a recently opened development aiming to provide a hub of food and culture. It houses favourites like I Scream for Pizza, Mother Mercy, fine dining site Ember and Si King's pie restaurant Propa.
I arrived around 11am, before the lunchtime rush, to meet with Si's right-hand man in the venture, Rory Welch.
Rory, 33, described the whirlwind of being approached by the Hairy Biker star to help him run the business.
"One minute I was walking my dog and then I got a call from Si," he said.
"The next thing I know, I was making mince and dumplings with him in his kitchen for his wife!"
The Propa team: Rory, Joey and Owen. (Image: Sarah Caldecott) He showed me inside the snug, but pristine kitchen, shared by the team, where the pie-based magic happened. Towering ovens sat by a wall, with the warm glow of yellow light illuminating crisp and golden pies that had been hiding in plain sight behind their windowed doors.
Wafts of gravy-scented air found their way to my nostrils as I said my hellos to the other chefs, Joey Blythe and Owen Connell, masters of the pie-making art.
Lashings of gravy on this pie portion. (Image: Sarah Caldecott) The first, and most important, part of making a pie is the filling. And Propa's fillings are all made with ingredients that are sourced from within a 50-mile radius of the venue. The steak they use is cooked for 12 hours at a specific temperature to preserve its tenderness, making sure it is neither too chewy nor mushy.
I learned how the machine used to put lids on the pies had custom-made pressers, with crimping nodules to create the bumpy pie edge that everyone loves so much.
(Image: Sarah Caldecott) Pulling up my sleeves and washing my hands in the basin next to the pastry table, I got stuck in as Joey showed me the care and expertise that go into making a Propa pie.
Pie expert Joey showed me how the meat-filled delights are made. (Image: Sarah Caldecott) First, the pastry. It is deliciously crisp and also beautifully chewy when baked - an oxymoron of a description that makes the entire experience wonderful. I got my hands on a rolling pin and was taught the art of pushing forwards - always forwards - with my palms, not a grip.
After the filling was placed in the pastry-lined pie dishes - all uniform and lined up like a military parade - I set about cutting out the lids. There is something so satisfying about unsheathing the pie tops, sliding the excess pastry away in one fell swoop from the several circles I had left with the cutter. Although I must admit, the last circle snagged, so it became as unsatisfying as it was oddly satisfying.
(Image: Sarah Caldecott) Now, to ensure the filling was wall-to-wall, the lid had to be firmly pressed into place. First by hand, pushing the pastry into all the air pockets atop the meat. Then, the bespoke piece of machinery - a lever which simultaneously crimped the pies and cut an air hole in the top.
(Image: Sarah Caldecott) I loved the lever. It, however, did not love me equally in return, failing to punch holes in the top of two of the pies I offered to its compartment.
(Image: Sarah Caldecott) But, after an egg wash, I was happy that I had followed the recipe and stuck to the plan. I was the proud father of a handful of pies that, hopefully, Si King himself would be proud of.
(Image: Sarah Caldecott) My goodness, though, was it hot.
The fruits of my labour. (Image: Sarah Caldecott)
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Sunderland is not known for its heat, but the midday sun, coupled with the apron and reflective surfaces, meant that I left the kitchen even more in awe of the job that this collective of chefs does. It was hot. And they do that job, in that kitchen, every day.
A pie is not just for lunchtime. It is for life.
And these guys, from Si downwards, live pies.
