GB2262217A - A method of cooking food products using a perforated dish or plate - Google Patents

Abstract

A pie dish or plate suitable for cooking food products eg. quiches comprises a base provided with a pattern of small holes or perforations, which enable such products to be baked in a single baking operation. The holes enable heat to reach the product directly. <IMAGE>

Description

COOKING METHODS AND APPARATUS This invention relates to pies, tarts and like confections of the kind comprising a shell or tray-like base of cooked pastry and a filling or topping. One example of such a confection is a quiche, such as a quiche lorraine where the filling/topping includes cream.

The well known problem with such confections is that the cooked pastry may be soggy due to absorbtion of liquid from the filling, or because the filling limits the temperature of the upperside of the pastry so that it does not cook as well.

A solution to this is blind baking where the pastry shell is cooked empty. But for a quiche this would necessitate twice cooking with both waste of heat and the possibility of spoiling the pastry from overcooking.

The object of the invention is to solve the problem.

According to one aspect of the invention. a method of cooking a pastry confection comprises lining a perforate pie dish or plate with pastry and any desired filling. and once cooking the assembled confection.

Preferably the dish or plate is metal, and conveniently is rendered non-stick by conventional means such as a coating of PTFE or like.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a pie dish or plate comprises a base perforated with holes.

Preferably the holes are in a regular pattern.

Preferably the holes are of the order of 9-4 mm in diameter and ma be spaced apart by lands of unperforated material of similar width. The holes may be arranged in rows which radiate from a central point. or in any other desired pattern. Preferably the major part of the base, or a flat or approximately flat central area of the dish is so perforated, and if desired the whole or the dish or plate may be fabricated from a pre-perforated material However it is preferred to provide a solid unperforated rim at least, or where the dish comprises a central flat area and a gently sloping annular portion leading to the peripheral rim, to leave that gently sloping portion unperforate.

The preferred material for a plate or dish are metals particularly aluminium or tinplate which are conventionally used for pie dishes, including the possibility of metal coated with Teflon (RTM) or other non-stick material.

The effect of the holes is to expose parts of the pastry to the heat of the oven in cooking, instead of relying on conduction of heat through the dish or plate.

It will be appreciated that if the holes too large, the pastry may sag into the holes, depending upon the texture of the uncooked pastry, but if too small the effect in cooking will be negligible. The mentioned preferred size of 3-4mm has been found to give crisp pastry in ordinary domestic ovens, cooking quiches to conventional recipes.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 2. and Figure 2 is a plan view of the pie dish according to the invention.

The pie dish shown in the drawings comprises a central generally flat and circular base area provided with a regular pattern of holes of the size and spacing as mentioned hereinbefore. This central area is surrounded by an annular and frusto-conical area extending to a flat annular rim portion.

Claims (7)

1. CLAIN

   CLAIt'C 1. A method of cooking a pastry confection comprising lining a perforate pie dish or plate with pastry and any desired filling, and once cooking the assembled confection.
2. 2. A method as claimed in Claim wherein the dish or plate is metal and is rendered non-stick by coating of PTFE or like.
3. 3. A pie dish or plate for carrying out the method of Claim 1 comprising a base perforated with holes.
4. 4. A pie dish as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the holes are in a regular pattern.
5. 5. A pie dish as claimed in Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein the holes are of the order of 3-4 mm in diameter and are spaced apart by lands or unperforated material of similar width.
6. 6. A pie dish as claimed in any of Claims 3-5 comprising a central area and an annular portion between the central area and a peripheral rim, and wherein the holes are provided in the central area only.
7. 7. k pie dish substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.