It’s the first weekend in months where I haven’t had to be somewhere, go somewhere or do something and consequently I actually have time on my hands to do something I REALLY REALLY love and that is recreating wartime recipes! I’ve had a lovely day so far! I’ve so desperately needed down time.
So I have yet to find out why this pie is called ‘Hunt Pie’. The closest I have come is finding a business called ‘John Hunts’ which established itself in 1860 manufacturing pie making equipment. Could this possibly be linked?
Anyway, I made the pie for lunch and I have lots of portions left for tomorrow and because I love vegetables and pastry and added a little more seasoning than the recipe called for, I found it quite delicious!
So please enjoy the original recipe below (and my slight modifications to suit my palette in brackets).
Hunt Pie
3/4 pint of water
1 onion or small leek
3/4 lb of chopped root veg and cabbage (I used a couple of potatoes, carrots and spring greens)
4 oz lentils (I used red/orange lentils as they did not require soaking)
2 oz minced beef (I am veggie so instead I used 2 oz of marinated tofu)
1/2-1 teaspoon of meat or vegetable extract (I used a teaspoon of marmite)
salt and pepper (I also added garlic salt)
Pastry
2 oz porridge oats or oatmeal
2 oz of plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
water to mix
(I added an oz of margarine as I cooked the pie in the oven rather than in the pot)
Chopped parsley (I hate parsley so used chopped chives)
Method
Bring water to boil.
Add onions/leeks, vegetables, lentils, vegetable/meat extract and seasoning, put lid on pan and cook on medium for about 10-15 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking.
Make pastry and press into a round shape enough to cover the top of the mixture in the saucepan. (I prefer a crispy pastry so once the mixture was soft and thickened which took about 30 minutes in total, I added it into a pie dish and rolled out the pastry on top and placed it in the oven).
Replace saucepan lid and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.
Lift pastry with a slice and set aside.
Remove mixture and place in pie dish and put pastry back on top.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 4-6.
The 1940's Experiment 
I might make this next week it looks and sounds good, like you I won’t be putting meat in it. Thanks
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When I started re-creating wartime recipes about 15 years ago, I was a meat eater so could create just about every recipe. Now I look for recipes that are veggie based or can be modified slightly. The marinated tofu worked well in this BTW xxx
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Wonder if it could be because you need to “hunt” for the ingredients….?
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ooooo could be! Never thought of that! xxx
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My mother used to make this (I am now in my 60’s). She told me that it was called Hunt Pie because there is so little meat in it, you have to hunt for the meat. I don’t know if it’s true but mums always know best!
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Looks scrummy. On next week’s menu! Thanks x
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Its great if you like veggies and stodgy comfort food 🙂 Add plenty of seasoning. A thick gravy over the top would be nice too! Tomorrow I’m making a wartime desert called ‘beetroot pudding!’. xxx
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Is this Marguerite Patten’s recipe? It’s one of the ones in her book that I’ve gone over many times but just haven’t got around to trying yet.
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Yes it is a Ministry of Food recipe that Marguerite Patten used in the We’ll Eat Again’ book…cant wait for dinner tonight…more pie!! 🙂 xxx
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Or is it a variation on a pie served during or after fox hunting?
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This looks like wonderful comfort food, and it seems to typify the make do and mend approach of something lovely from humble ingredients. Just my kind of thing!
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That looks and sounds delicious! I’ll definitely try it. Thanks!
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That looks really yummy – definitely going to give it a go
Julie
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This sounds delicious. I have put it on my Autumn menu-90F in Philadelphia for the next week or so.
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What is the book called and where can I get it and most importantly how much is it
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We’ll Eat Again by Marguerite Patten https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Books/Well-Eat-Again-Collection-Recipes/0753723417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500205870&sr=8-1&keywords=well+eat+again xxx
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Thank you I’ve just ordered it plus the ration book diet recipe book, I can’t wait to get them and try the recipe’s
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I’m so glad you’re back to posting recipes, I always enjoy the posts. This one looks delicious! 😊
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Might have a go at this for the Weekend !
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