Pastry is one of our favourite things to indulge in – the golden crust of a pie, the flaky pastry of the immortal Cornish pasty, or the soft encasing of a suet pudding: all provide comforting, homely dishes that we know and love. However, often it feels out of reach for everyday cooks, surrounded by rumours of impossibility, stories of failure and unachievable recipes. In River Cottage Great Pies Gelf Alderson will dispel all fear, giving every home cook the tools they need to achieve pastry greatness with achievable, delicious recipes for every pastry-laden occasion, from the buffet to the centrepiece of any meal.

Starting with a chapter dedicated to the core recipes for the most-used pastry – including shortcrust, puff and rough puff, hot water, filo, suet, choux and sweet pastry – these become the basis for the pastry masterpieces in the book. (And if you don't have time to make pastry from scratch, don't despair – the recipes in the book are doable with shop-brought for when time and inclination are against you.)

In chapters such as veggie pies, open pies and tarts, saucy pies, raised pies, pasties and sweet stuff, you'll find recipes for kitchen classics (from the ultimate quiche to a beef and ale pie, and from the classic River Cottage pork pie to custard tarts), as well as unexpected sweet and savoury treats (think spanakopita, chicken balti pie or plum, raspberry and hazelnut meringue pie), rounded out with a chapter of sauces, gravies and custards – everything you'll need to accompany your pies, pastries and pasties.

With an introduction from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, this book provides 80 comforting recipes of grounded pastry cooking, achievable for everyone and on your table in no time.