Everyone has different ideas when it comes to the best foods, but one simple truth goes unchallenged: Sweet or savory, served by the slice or folded into a single-serving turnover, everyone loves pie.

And the best part is you don’t even need to be celebrating something special to enjoy it.

While a homemade pastry crust can give some cooks pause, there are some tricks to make it easier.

First, start with very cold butter. Then, be careful not to overwork the dough with your fingers (overworking it will make the crust tough) and don’t forget to let the dough rest in the fridge for a bit before rolling so it’s relaxed when it hits the oven. Otherwise, you won't achieve those flaky layers that make pie such a delight.

A graham cracker crust is even easier. You need just three ingredients and a fork to stir it together.

There may be no better day to give your pie-making skills a test run for Easter Sunday than Pi Day on March 14, the annual celebration of the never-ending mathematical constant 3.14159 ... (and Albert Einstein’s birthday), which this year falls on a Saturday.

Because it can be so hard to make up your mind when it comes to pie, we have two recipes to choose from: a savory, grab-and-go chicken curry hand pie made with a pastry crust, and a tart-sweet key lime pie that marries a creamy, citrusy filling with a rich and buttery graham cracker crust.

The hand pie can be served either hot from the oven or at room temperature with an optional yogurt- or chutney-based dipping sauce. The key lime pie should be refrigerated for at least three hours to ensure it’s properly set before slicing.

Key Lime Pie

PG tested

How easy is this tart-sweet dessert pie? You will end up waiting longer for it to cool to room temperature than it takes to mix and bake it.

It can be topped with homemade or canned whipped cream.

For crust

9 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (about 1½ cups)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

For filling

½ cup Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice

1 tablespoon grated lime zest, plus more for garnish

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

3 large egg yolks

For topping

Homemade or canned whipped cream

Fresh lime zest

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar and salt in a medium bowl; mix well.

Press into a 9-inch glass pie plate, and bake until lightly browned, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven, and transfer to a wire rack until completely cooled.

Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare filling: In a medium bowl, gently whisk together condensed milk, egg yolks, Key Lime Juice and zest. Pour into the prepared, cooled crust.

Return pie to oven, and bake until the center is set but still quivers when the pan is nudged, 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Spoon whipped cream over cooled pie or pipe it around the edges. Garnish with lime zest and cut into slices.

Makes 1 pie.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Curried Chicken Hand Pies

PG tested

Hand pies are great option for a desk lunch and a casual dinner because they’re fun to eat and can be customized with any filling — often leftovers. These are packed with a (slightly) spicy chicken curry made with boneless, skinless chicken thigh.

For perfect circles, start with dough balls patted into a smooth-edged round, and move the dough, not your rolling pin. It also helps to use an upside-down bowl as a guide.

For crust

2½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

3 tablespoons ice water

For filling

1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 large carrot, finely diced

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch, for thickening

1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 large potato, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 cup chicken stock

Generous pinch of salt

Egg wash, for glazing hand pies

Prepare crust: In a food processor, pulse flour and salt. Add butter a couple of pieces at a time, pulsing until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining.

Add water, pulsing until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If necessary add up to 2 tablespoons water; I added an additional ½ tablespoon. Divide dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).

While dough is chilling, prepare filling.

In a large pan, heat oil until sizzling. Add onions and fry over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned.

Add garlic, ginger and carrot, and cook for 1 or 2 minutes while stirring. Add garam masala, cumin, turmeric and coriander, followed by flour, and stir to combine. Cook until the spices start to smell aromatic, about 1 minute.

Add cubed chicken thigh and potatoes, and stir well to coat the chicken with the spice mixture. Gradually add chicken stock and a pinch of salt. Bring to simmer and cover with a lid, let it cook for 15 minutes. Remove from stove and allow to cool.

When ready to make pies, divide chilled dough into 6 equal, smaller pieces. Shape each piece into a ball.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll each ball into a 4- or 5-inch disc that’s about ½ inch thick. (For a perfect circle, it helps to use a bowl as a guide.) Brush the bottom crust with an egg wash before adding filling.

Spoon about ¼ cup of filling on half of the dough circle, and use a pastry brush to dampen the edges with water.

Fold dough over to create a half circle, and press edges together firmly with a fork that’s been dipped into flour (to keep from sticking) or crimp by hand to prevent leakage. Cut 1 or 2 openings in the top with a butter knife to allow steam to escape.

Brush tops with beaten egg, and bake pies in a preheated oven for around 20 minutes, or until golden brown and the pastry is cooked underneath.

Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Makes 6 hand pies.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

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