Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes wins top prize for prawn laksa pie

An unusual seafood pie from the Bellarine Peninsula has been named Australia’s best, trumping classic beef creations.

Nathan Williams from Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes with the award-winning prawn laksa pie. Picture: Brad Fleet

A unique combination of seafood and Asian flavours by an Ocean Grove bakery has wowed the judges at Australia’s best pie competition.

Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes’ prawn laksa pie won best pie at the Bakery Association of Australia’s best pie and pastry competition.

This is the third time in four years the bakery has taken out the top gong.

General manager Nathan Williams described the win as “unbelievable”.

“It’s amazing,” he said.

“Winning three times in four years is a bit ridiculous.”

Mr Williams created the prawn laksa pie back in 2017, which combines laksa paste and coconut milk with prawns, capsicum and green beans.

“Inspiration for new pie flavours comes from anywhere,” he said.

“I had eaten a laksa and thought ‘this could go into a pie’.

“During that time, I was experimenting with more Asian flavours.”

The creation also won best seafood pie at this year’s competition as well as in 2017.

Despite making some of the best pies in Australia, Mr Williams has not tasted his award-winning creations.

In 2021, his surf n’ turf combination with beef and prawns took out best pie in the competition, while his mushroom and truffle pie won in 2022.

But Mr Williams does not eat prawns or mushrooms.

“I somehow managed to nail the flavours,” he said.

Nathan Williams from Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes. Picture: Brad Fleet

Mr Williams said he almost didn’t enter the prawn pie into this year’s competition as judges previously thought the filling was too runny.

“I attempted to fix this (by adding in corn flour) and I thought I had over-thickened it to the point where I told my wife I wasn’t going to enter it,” he said.

“There was no time for a redo.

“I left it in the pot and put it in the fridge and the next day, there were some spare pie tins.

“My wife said ‘what have you got to lose’ and the consistency turned out perfect.”

More than 2000 pies were entered into the competition from 367 bakeries across Australia.

Mr Williams said the award-winning pie led to an influx of customers on the weekend.

He baked another 200 pies to ensure they would not run out.

Rolling Pin has five stores across the region, including in Ocean Grove, Queenscliff, Leopold and South Geelong.

Originally published as Rolling Pin Pies and Cakes wins top prize for prawn laksa pie