En Croute describes the wrapping of a filling such as steak, salmon, chicken etc. in puff pastry and sealing it well to make for a moistly cooked filling encased in crisp, golden pastry.

• 1. Roll out the puff pastry as described in the pages ‘Rolling out Puff Pastry’, and cut into the desired size as stated in the recipe.
  2. Lay the filling on one half of the pastry – leaving a good border all round.
  3. Brush the pastry edges lightly with beaten egg – note -do not use too much egg as this will make it difficult to seal.
  4. Bring up the uncovered half of the pastry and fold it over the filling.
  5. Press edges firmly together.
  6. With a sharp knife trim off the edges to allow for a good rise.
  7. Then knock up the edges by holding the knife horizontally and taping it gently against the cut edges. This again helps to both seal the pastry and gives a good, risen edge.
  8. Flute the cut edges of the en croute as described in the Puff Pie tops and decorating section.
  9. Make a couple of slashes or slits in the top pastry to allow the steam to escape and brush the top with beaten egg before baking.

1. When making a pie with a pastry top or lid, choose a dish with a rim and allow the filling to get cold before topping with pastry. Roll out pastry large enough to cover dish and with some spare. Cut a strip slightly wider than the dish rim, from the sides of the rolled pastry.
2. Brush rim with water or beaten egg. Place pastry strip on rim and press firmly, continue with further strips until all rim covered.  Brush rim with beaten egg or water.
3. Roll pastry up on the rolling pin to lift it (as described in ‘Rolling out Puff Pastry’ section and gently unroll it over the pie dish. Press pastry edges firmly.
4. Using a sharp knife trim off excess pastry by cutting downwards against the edge of the dish. Keep trimmings for decoration.
5. Knock up edges to form a good seal by holding a sharp knife horizontally against cut edge and gently tapping the pastry edge all round.
6. Make a fluted edge by pressing your thumb of your left hand firmly down on the top of the pastry on the opposite side of the dish from you, whilst drawing the back of a knife inwards, against your thumb as shown. Continue until all edge is fluted.  Make a small steam escape hole in centre of lid.
7. Re roll trimmings as described in the ‘Rolling out Puff Pastry ‘ section, cut out several strips of pastry.
8. Holding the knife at an angle, cut the strips diagonally to give diamond shapes. With the point of the knife mark veins on the pastry ‘leaves’.
9. To make a ‘stalk’ cut slightly narrower strips and roll them beneath opened hands to form long cylinders.
10. Finally, make ‘berries’ by gently pinching off a small piece of pastry . Roll it in the palm of your hand with the fingers of the other hand to form small balls/ berries.
11. Brush pie top with beaten egg. Lay the leaves, stalks and berries on in your chosen pattern and press gently onto lid. Brush again before baking.

1. For best results when rolling out puff pastry use a large, clean dry area of the work surface and lightly dust it with plain flour.
2. Place pastry dough on surface and lightly dust it and the rolling pin with flour.
3. Roll pastry firmly, always rolling away from you, give the dough 2-3 rolls.
4. Then turn the dough a quarter turn.
5. Dust again if necessary and continue rolling out, frequently turning the pastry so it is not always rolled in the same direction as this causes shrinkage.
6. When the pastry has increased in size, pick it up to turn by rolling it round the rolling pin.
7. Lift the pin with the pastry around it carefully and turn it to lay out and continue rolling. Again this is done to prevent the pastry from stretching as you lift it which in turn would result in shrinkage in baking. Puff pastry should be rolled out to approx. 4-5 mm depth.
8. To re- roll puff pastry once you have cut something out from the main piece, layer up all the trimmings, folding to achieve approximately an even stack.
9. Press stack lightly together with fingers.
10. Then roll out as before.