This post originally appeared in the June 3, 2019 edition of The Move, a place for Eater’s editors to reveal their recommendations and pro dining tips — sometimes thoughtful, sometimes weird, but always someone’s go-to move. Subscribe now.
Pie — whether it’s a shepherd’s pie, filled with meaty goodness and topped with creamy mashed potatoes, or a zesty lemon meringue pie with bright lemon curd filling and fluffy meringue topping — can never do me wrong. But in the world of perfect pies, a frozen chicken pot pie, a circular, hand-held one with a flaky crust made from “scratch,” as the colorful label claims, always sparks joy. It could be the nostalgic memories of heating up that signature green Marie Callender’s chicken pot pie as an after-school snack. Or it could be my tendency to look for the ultimate hack for maximizing the pleasure of eating that chicken pot pie. The best move? Flip it upside down.
Let’s dissect this approach. There are two problems with personal-sized pies. First, most frozen savory pot pies are circular, and sit on an aluminum shell. It can be annoying to cut the pie with your fork while it’s still in nested the aluminum: Instead of slicing it, you end up scooping it with your fork, creating an uneven ratio of crust to filling. Sometimes, the crust gets mushed into the filling instead of providing its sandwich-like protection.
This unfair filling-to-crust ratio leads to the second problem: the bite’s texture. When the filling overpowers the crust, it’s overly wet. If you’re getting just the crust on the bottom, it can be quite dry. The perfect bite happens when the creamy, savory filling is sandwiched between top and bottom crust.
Flipping the pie upside down solves all those problems. Once it’s out of the aluminum shell, the pie’s bottom crust becomes the top crust, making a flan-like shape. (Yes, you might need a plate instead of eating it right out of the aluminum pan, but have some respect for yourself, even if you’re having a frozen pot pie. You deserve it.) Now that it’s on your plate, you can actually slice the pie as if you are cutting through a slice of cake with the side of your fork. By doing so, you get the ideal filling-to-crust ratio for every bite. This pro pie move maximizes the joy of buttery, flaky dough complemented with savory filling; you’re enjoying the best part in the most harmonious way.
It’s unclear whether this flip-the-pie move will work on other shapes of pies. I haven’t personally tried this strategy for sweet pies, such as apple or pumpkin pies, but it should be applicable as long as the filling, whether it’s savory or sweet, is between two layers of crust. So, next time, when you pop that frozen pot pie in the microwave for a lazy snack or a square meal, treat yourself by feeling all the pleasure of crust-to-filling ratio by flipping it. Just don’t flip the plate.
P.S. Not like you need an excuse, but if you want to incorporate pie into every meal of the day, you should go ahead and eat pie for breakfast.