THE PIE COMPETITION.
From 1st May - 23rd of July, Federation University TAFE are proud to present the battle to be crowned Ballarat’s best pie, as Plate Up Ballarat joins Visit Victoria and the Western Bulldogs to determine a winner from twenty of the city’s famed restaurants and cafes.
With a focus on local produce, each venue's pie must feature three local ingredients, and must be true to type and served as a plated meal. Licensed venues will also pair their pie with a locally brewed beer or cider from Red Duck Brewery, Cubby Haus Brewing, Athletic Club Brewery or 321 Cider.
Don’t forget to vote for your favourite pie by selecting it below, and share your pics on Instagram using the hashtags #pieballarat #plateupballaratpie #fedunitafe #wandervictoria #thecourier as well as #(venuename)pie and #beername (if applicable).
In addition to the People’s Choice Best Pie (voted by you), all pies will vie for the Critic’s Choice Best Pie with a team of judges headed by food writer Richard Cornish and local culinary genius Peter Ford blind tasting, testing and rating each pie, including the best entrant from the apprentices at Federation University TAFE.
The winner will be declared at the Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide match on Sunday 29 July.
We are proud to partner with the Western Bulldogs for the 2018 pie competition, to find our more about becoming a member click here:
Western Bulldogs Membership
BILLY'S BISTRO - MARRAKESH CHICKEN PIE
Traditional slow cooked chicken from the city of Marrakesh in Morocco, marinated in a blend of spices and goat curd, cooked with dates and figs and served with an herbed couscous. Local ingredients are, free range eggs, goat curd and organic vegetables.
BEER MATCH:
Cubby Haus Brewing American Brown Ale
Price: $28 or $35 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Billy’s Bistro & Bar, 613 Main Rd, Ballarat
CAFE SIDRA - PORK & CIDER PIE
The apples used to make the delicious 321 Still Cider grow 3km from Cafe Sidra. Our pie will be a short crust casing & it's in the case that the cider works it’s magic. Slow cooked Nelson Springs Pork & Learmonth potatoes team with a gorgeous gravy & puff pastry lid.
CIDER MATCH:
321 Cider Traditional Still
Price: $10 or $20 with cider
Gluten Free: No
Where: Cafe Sidra, 321 High Street, Learmonth
CRAIG'S - MUSHROOM & LEEK PITHIVIER PIE
This is local vegetarian produce at its finest, encased in golden, flaky pastry. Delicious Ballarat Mushroom Farm mushrooms, leek, Mount Prospect Produce and Holy Goats Cheese make a hearty filling between two discs of handmade puff pastry.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beer Kolsch Bright Ale
Price: $28 or $34.50 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Craig’s Royal Hotel, 10 Lydiard St, Ballarat
ECLECTIC TASTES - EGG & BACON PIE
A classic egg and bacon pie made with a simple shortcrust pastry filled with Country Style Smallgood’s Bacon, Inglenook cream, Elm Grove Farm free range eggs and fresh herbs. Served with tomato relish and a choice of either a side of chips or crisp garden salad.
BEER MATCH:
Cubby Haus Brewing Good Witch Rye Blonde
Price: $12.50 or $20 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Eclectic Tastes, 2 Burnbank St, Lake Wendouree
THE FORGE PIZZERIA - MOROCCAN LAMB SHANK PIE
Slow-cooked Victorian lamb shank with Meredith Goat Cheese and baby spinach in traditional pastry crust - our Nanna Norma’s recipe, served with house-made beetroot chips. Perfect to enjoy with a Red Duck Amber Ale or Hellbilly Roasting coffee.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beer Amber Ale
Price: $23 or $28 with beer or coffee
Gluten Free: No
Where: The Forge Pizzeria, 14 Armstrong St, Ballarat
GOLDEN CITY HOTEL - THE GOLDEN PORK PIE
Western Plains Pork encased in a delicious golden pastry. This savoury pork pie is served with a side of house made pickles, apple crisps and Bacchus Marsh leaves paired with Athletic Club Pale Ale.
BEER MATCH:
Athletic Club Brewery Pale Ale
Price: $18 or $25 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Golden City Hotel, 427 Sturt St, Ballarat
THE HEALTHY HUB - CURRIED VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S POT PIE
A creamy curried veggie filling using Spring Creek Organics produce & Harmony Garlic, topped with a sweet potato mash and crispy, crumbly top. Served with a side of sauerkraut from The Fermentary.
BEER MATCH:
O'Brien's Beer Pale Ale
Price: $18 or $26 with beer
Gluten Free: Yes AND Vegan
Where: The Healthy Hub, 100 Bridge Mall, Bakery Hill
THE HOP TEMPLE - CAVEMAN PIE
A signature beef rib pie, made with local beef by Sinclair Meats, Creswick Farm Eggs, Daylesford Butter & Red Duck Amber Ale, to compliment the deep taste of the beef whilst providing a caramel flavour through its malt bill.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beer Amber Ale
Price: $18 or $25 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Hop Temple, rear of 24 Armstrong St, Ballarat
HYDRANT FOOD HALL - BERKSHIRE PORK & EGG PIE
Traditional Pork Pie filled with Millbrook Berkshire Pork and Stonehaven Smoked Egg. Served with house made plum chutney, Goldfields Farmhouse “St George” cheese and a green leaf salad.
BEER MATCH:
Athletic Club Brewery Pale Ale
Price: $20 or $26 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Hydrant Food Hall, 3 McKenzie St, Ballarat
KITTELTY'S - COQ AU VIN PIE
Bannockburn Free Range Chicken, Ballarat mushrooms & hot smoked bacon from Salt Kitchen Charcuterie braised in pinot noir with a bouquet garnish of home grown herbs & encased in pastry.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beer Porter
Price: $19 or $25 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Kittelty's, 40 Lydiard St, Ballarat
FEDERATION UNI PIE - BEST APPRENTICE ENTRANT
The winner of the FedUni TAFE pie competition will have their pie included in the blind judging for the critics choice award.
NOUVELLE ORLEANS - SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE
Sweet potato pie served with Maples ice cream and bacon praline. Using sweet potatoes from the kitchen garden & Mt Egerton produce. Enbom honey caramelises the sweet potato filling & lemon thyme from Central Highland Herbs to cut the sweetness, all served in gingerbread sweet pastry.
BEER MATCH:
Cubby Haus Brewing Good Witch Rye Blonde
Price: $15 or $18 with beer
Gluten Free: Yes
Where: Nouvelle Orleans, 28 Main Rd, Ballarat
RACV GOLDFIELDS RESORT - CONFIT DUCK & MUSHROOM PIE
Confit duck & mushroom pie with truffle potato mash served with a smoky tomato relish. The duck is from Nhill & mushrooms are from Ballarat Mushroom Farm. The mash uses Black Cat Truffles & the creamy potatoes are from Mount Prospect Produce, accompanied by relish is made from Yendon Gourmet Tomatoes.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beer 1851
Price: $18 or $24 with beer
Gluten Free: On request
Where: RACV Goldfields Resort, 1500 Midlands Hwy, Creswick
THE LANE @ THE GEORGE HOTEL - PEAR, BLACKBERRY AND ROSEWATER PIE
Pear, blackberries and a hint of rosewater encased in handmade sweet citrus shortcrust pastry. Served with Inglenook Dairy clotted cream and Il Piccolo Gelato vanilla bean ice cream.
Price: $12
Gluten Free: No
Where: The Lane, 27 Lydiard St North, Ballarat
THE LOCAL - THE LOCAL COMFORT PIE
Shortcrust pastry, with a caponata & white bean filling, locally grown Adsum Farmhouse vegetables and Invermay Olives with fava beans from the Wimmera. Served with a side salad & housemade chutney.
Price: $19
Gluten Free: On request
Where: The Local, 313 Lydiard St, Ballarat
THE WESTERN HOTEL - LAMB & ROSEMARY PIE
Slow cooked Waubra lamb on a bed of creamy mashed local potatoes with mushy peas.
BEER MATCH:
Cubby Haus Brewing Extra Special Bitter
Price: $19 or $26 with beer
Gluten Free: Gluten free pie available subject to availability, matched with O'Brien Pale Ale
Where: The Western, 1221 Sturt St, Ballarat
WEBSTERS MARKET & CAFE - PECAN & PORTER PIE
The nutty sweetness of this pecan pie is a perfect match for the malty flavours of Red Duck Porter a dark ale. A delightful vanilla parfait, Inglenook Dairy cream and Grounded Pleasures vanilla bean it is an indulgent and delicious sweet pie.
BEER MATCH:
Red Duck Beet Porter
Price: $15 or $20 with beer
Gluten Free: No
Where: Websters Market & Cafe, 61 Webster St, Ballarat