My brother texted earlier this evening:

Have I got to part bake a pastry case to make pie? How long for?

I responded:

Depends a bit on whether filling is cooked or not and whether you’re just doing a crust or sides and base as well?

All around proper pie! Apple and rhubarb – will prestew the fruit

If all ingredients are basically cooked already need to blindbake the base and sides to about half the time to cook pastry. Line the dish, prick with fork all over, cover in greaseproof, weigh down with eg dry pasta, cook 10-15 mins at 200, remove pasta and paper, put in hot filling, put crust on top, use eggcup to support middle, make hole to let out steam, cook til crust is ready.

Eggcup IN pie?!

Yes, assuming you don’t have purpose based cereamic thing to do the job, or you’re only making small pie. Upside-down eggcup working as pylon in middle of crust. Also assuming eggcup made of something that can withstand heat.

No eggcup – shot glass? Gonna be fairly small pie anyway.

Small pie might not need.

It almost sounds like I know what I’m doing, eh? Despite the fact I’ve never made a full pie, just pies with crusts in pie dishes, or blind-baked tarts with chilled or fruit fillings.

Hope it turns out OK!