Beef Short Rib and Vegetable Pot Pie. Five-Onion Tart. Pork Tenderloin with Root Vegetables and Mushrooms in Puff Pastry. Haddock, Corn and Potato Pie.

Friends, savory pies are enjoying a glorious and well-deserved comeback, and this inspired cookbook should become your trusted guide to expand your repertoire. Despite the title, the book offers plenty of recipes that celebrate vegetables, poultry, and seafood.

When Americans think of pie, they invariably think dessert: filled with luscious fruit or some other baked sweetness. Elsewhere in the world, a pie connotes a hearty stew of tender meat or poultry in a rich sauce topped with a flaky pastry crust, tender biscuit, or whipped potatoes. Savory, simple, satisfying. This winter is the perfect time to step up your savory pie game. Flip through the pages of this compelling cookbook to learn about hand pies, rolled raised pies, tarts and galettes, turnovers and vol-au-vents.

Pies start with a crust of some form, and the book provides expert guidance on how to achieve the perfect flaky crust using the 3-2-1 ratio (3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, 1 part water). The authors share a brilliant pro tip: using a box grater to grate the chilled butter directly into the flour makes the dough easier to knead, and the thin curls of butter result in a flakier crust texture. Confident in your dough skills? Try your hand at making puff pastry. There’s even a carefully tested recipe for glutenfree dough that actually works and tastes good, too.

And then, there are the fillings! Of course, you can find classic combinations for chicken, pork, or beef pies, but why not dabble with Wild Mushroom and Leek Pie, sweet with shallots in a sherry cream sauce. Haddock Pie is essentially a thick fish chowder replete with potato, corn, bacon, and mushrooms tucked under a golden crust. Another simple option: roast whatever vegetables you love—carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, potatoes—and nestle them in puff pastry. Spanish Chorizo, Goat Cheese and Red Pepper Pie needs no further explanation: the name reflects the tastes! For Five-Onion Tart, yellow and red onions, leeks, shallots, and scallions are sautéed, then baked in a buttery tart crust in a creamy custard topped with grated Parmigiano or pecorino cheese. Offer a slice of that sweet and savory tart with a salad of winter greens and a bright vinaigrette for a satisfying supper or brunch.

The authors wisely note that “Virtually anything can be wrapped in dough and baked with delicious results.” Now you can think beyond Beef Wellington if you want to get a bit fancier. Try the elegant Lamb Loin en Croûte that features a boneless lamb loin encased with a pâté of ground pork blended with spinach, Dijon mustard, and pine nuts and then wrapped in puff pastry.

Or Salmon Rolled Pie that stars a butterflied center-cut salmon fillet rolled around a light green purée of shrimp and spinach mousseline baked in a golden flaky crust. These dishes are perfect for entertaining, as they can be prepared in advance and slid in the oven just as the party begins. Savory pies are true convenience food. Make a couple of different pies, stow them in the freezer, and pop one in the oven for a simple winter meal. Quintessential comfort food enjoyed by all ages.

The authors Brian Polcyn and Michael Ruhlman are chefs and teachers who have teamed up on two previous books that explored the craft of charcuterie and salumi, but they clearly know how to coax exceptional flavor from whatever appears on their cutting boards or under their rolling pins.