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Originally Posted by Citroënbender

I see a vegetarian pie has won a serious national prize in Australia.

Yes, heard that on the news last night.

Vegetarian pie from Victoria’s Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes named Australia’s best
The man who baked the pie said he was in ‘complete shock’ when his controversial creation took the top spot.

Australia’s best pie has been revealed after an expert judging panel taste-tested thousands of entries from across the country.

A vegetarian mushroom and truffle pie from Victoria’s Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes bakery came out on top at the 2022 Australia’s Best Pie & Pastie Competition.

The controversial creation contains three types of mushroom, herbs and a truffle filling wrapped in a golden flaky pastry crust, with no meat in sight.

Held by the Baking Association of Australia, the competition is the industry’s only recognised national pie and pastie competition.

Each year a panel of judges spends three days tasting baked goods over a number of categories including beef, vegetarian, mushroom and gourmet before selecting one pie as the overall winner.

It’s the second year in a row the Rolling Pin Pies & Cakes bakery, which has stores in Queenscliff, Leopold and South Geelong, has taken out the top award.

Last year its surf’n’turf pie containing chunky beef and prawns in a rich garlicky sauce was named the nation’s best pie.

Rolling Pin manager Nathan Williams told Sunrise he was left in “complete shock” after being awarded the top gong for his vego creation.

“It is definitely surprising that they would give it to a pie with no meat,” he told David Koch and Natalie Barr on Wednesday.

Williams said the secret behind the tasty pie was ”getting the right amount of truffle in there”.

“If you don’t put enough in you won’t taste it, but if you put too much in it can really take over the whole pie.”

He said the feedback from customers has been “amazing” with some even driving hours just to taste the baked treat.

In a funny twist, Williams admitted he doesn’t eat the pie himself “because I really don’t like mushrooms at all”.