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Homity Pie – Recipe No 134

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Here it is… the promised Homity Pie recipe! Let me tell you, it’s totally delicious, TOTALLY!

Homity Pie is an open topped pie said to have first been made by Land-Girls during WW2 and supposedly to have originated in the West Country.

It’s REALLY difficult finding the original recipe as there are so many bastardised versions hanging around on the internet, so after having researched for hours (yes I am a food nerd) and comparing recipes with rationing, the below recipe is likely the closest version to it’s origins taking into account the scarcity of eggs and onions.

You HAVE to make this. It’s delicious and so easily portable when cold, that it makes it perfect to take on a picnic!

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Homity Pie

  • 4 largeish potatoes
  • 2 largeish leeks
  • 1 eating apple, cored and chopped into small cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
  • 1 egg
  • butter or margarine (generous)
  • 4-6 oz cheese (use more if you have lots to spare)
  • fresh or dried thyme (to your own taste)
  • salt and pepper (to your own taste)
  • Shortcrust pastry made with 6 oz flour and 3 oz fat

Method

  1. Make the shortcrust pastry using plain flour (we used half strong wholemeal and half white) and 3 oz fat (I used 1/2 veg shortening and 1/2 hard margarine). Rub fat into flour to make breadcrumbs and then bind together with a little water to make a pliable dough.
  2. Roll the dough out into a greased pie dish, mine measured about 10″ x 6″ and place it into oven on 200 c for about 10 minutes or so to half cook.
  3. Leave skins on your potatoes and chop into chunky cubes, place in boiling water and simmer until tender
  4. Chop up leeks and garlic and saute in a pan gently (with butter or marg) until cooked. Add in plenty of thyme and the chopped apple and toss
  5. Drain potatoes then add to pan of leeks, 1 whisked egg, add more butter or marg and 2oz of the grated cheese and loosely mix, add in lots of salt and pepper until it tastes good!
  6. Dollop mixture into the pie dish on top of the pastry, then top with 4 oz of cheese (or more if you have more available in your cheese ration as it completes the pie beautifully), a sprinkle more of thyme and pepper
  7. Cook in oven at 220C until the top is browned
  8. Remove and leave to cool a bit before serving

Makes about 8 portions

Total cost: £2.50

“This post is part of Twinkl’s VE Day Campaign, and is featured in their Best Wartime Recipes to Celebrate VE Day from Home post”

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Baked Chips with Thyme – Recipe No 133

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Here’s a very tasty side dish I made tonight for supper out of just two potatoes with their skins on, some fat, thyme and salt. Infact I ate these with a salad and quite honestly they were simply delicious… Baked chips with thyme.

As fat was rationed during the war, deep frying was out of the question but this recipe uses little fat. I used a bit of oil and a blob of margarine but lard or vegetable shortening would work well too.

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Baked Chips with Thyme

  • 2 large potatoes, washed but with skins left on
  • Fresh or dried thyme
  • Salt
  • Clove of fresh garlic or garlic powder
  • Oil, lard or vegetable shortening

Method

  1. Slice each potato into chunky chip size pieces
  2. Drizzle oil or place lard in pan
  3. Heat in oven until warm or melted
  4. Put in the potato and toss until covered in oil/fat
  5. Sprinkle with salt and thyme and garlic powder/salt or cut a clove of garlic in half and add these to the pan also
  6. Bake in the oven at about 230 C for 20 minutes or so until potato is cooked and edges are nice and brown

 

Makes enough for two side portions with a main meal or for one person with a side salad

Total cost: 30 p

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Pea and Potato Stew – Recipe No 132

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The cupboards were bare this morning. I need to go grocery shopping this evening but as I have an appointment this afternoon in the city it was a case of whipping up something for lunch that was quick, nutritious, tasty and above all, using what little ingredients I had left in the fridge.

I created a Pea and Potato Stew using food that the 1940s larder would have had available

I’ve already eaten it all up and it was indeed delightfully robust, yummy tummy moreish and working it out cost me less than £1 to make- way less!

Pea and Potato Stew

  • 2 handfuls of peas in edible pods (mine were on the turn)
  • 1 large potato skin on
  • 1 celery stick (again on the turn)
  • 1 leek (or 1 onion)
  • Couple handful of soft, on the turn tomatoes (or a can of tomatoes)
  • Any leafy veg that needs using up- I used a small handful of lettuce leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • Thyme to your own taste
  • Clove of garlic

Method

  1. Chop leeks or onion, cube potato into small pieces (about 1 cm in size) and chop garlic and saute these in a little margarine or butter until they smell delicious
  2. Add in the chopped celery stick, the while peas in pods and any other leafy veg that needs using up and continue to saute for a few more minutes
  3. Add in the soft tomatoes or can of tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper and stir and taste and adjust seasoning
  4. Add some veg stock if too dry or some thickener such as a little Bisto gravy browning if too wet.
  5. Cook until potato pieces are tender (20 minutes ish)

Serves two with a chunk of crusty bread or 1 hungry person

Total cost: Less than £1

PS: Also watch this space! Vintage Cooking … 

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Battle of the Bulge 1940’s Style.

Thank you Holly for posting this clip on my Facebook page!

REALLY? REALLY REALLY? Perfect make-up, not a hair out of place, not a mere bead of sweat or sticky bum prints left on gym equipment? (which by the way, in this clip look like giant epilators for removing excess hair)

And then there are those 1940s smiles and perfect lipstick, no contortion of facial features as if a leg is being sawn off without an anaesthetic… oh no these gals have class.

And then there are the gym shoes, or should we say gym heels…

Yes I’m jealous! 🙂

C xxxxx

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Black Country Living Museum Meet-Up?

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Image courtesy of Black Country Living Museum – CLICK HERE

 

Thanks to Caterina, I’ve just found out about a 1940s Weekend at the Black Country Living Museum on July 19 and 20, 2014.

I’ve ALWAYS wanted to visit the museum, it looks amazing so what better time to visit than during a day that happens to be 1940s themed!

And on that note I wondered if anyone has any plans to attend this event and if so maybe it might be a great opportunity for some of us ladies to get together for a cuppa tea and a chat? Chew the 1940s cud and that sort of stuff…?

Anyone going?

C xxx

Find out more about visiting the museum by CLICKING HERE

 

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Polishing the Copper Kettle as therapy

Just thought I’d share my progress… most of the front is now done.

More polishing, less food….

It’s a Victorian Acorn top Copper Kettle circa late 19th century and can’t wait to use it as a prop in some  food photos.

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Raisin Cake Lovingly Handmade by Lorna at the WI

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At the Marple WI meeting last week, there was a table of Wartime Recipes the ladies at the WI had created. All looked wonderful but as I am a sucker for fruit cake and am a greedy girl, I reached for a big slab of the delicious looking ‘Wartime Raisin Cake’…

And yes, it was tasty and yes I would have eaten a second and third slice if I could have got away with it but as I was due to speak in front of a room full of women, it may have been impolite to stop mid speak to enjoy picking raisins out of my teeth.

Anyway, the Wartime Raisin Cake was ‘Lovingly Handmade by Lorna’ and she has the recipe in her blog so please take a moment to pop over there for a taste!

And thank you Lorna for being kind about my WI talk in your blog post too!

VISIT LORNA’S BLOG & GET RECIPE – CLICK HERE

Hmmmm, maybe I’ll have to have a go at this recipe today, problem is I know it will be impossible to stop at one slice…

C xxx

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To focus on the road ahead

546403_10151069264222361_581477650_nWas reminded rather sharply yesterday that I have to get back on track ASAP…

I found this photo I had used on the blog about a a year or so ago when my weight was about 3.5 stone/50lbs less than it is now. Currently I’m around the  20st 5lbs /285lbs mark… looking at the top image when I was about 25stone/350lbs I just cannot bear the thought of returning to that purgatory.

So at the moment I’m trying to get psyched, to slip into that frame of mind that exhibits focus and determination and perseverance so the lbs will once again start to be cast aside and each step becomes lighter.

I’ve got potatoes in the oven and plans to try a couple of new dishes out of old cookery books, and I’m sipping my first cuppa tea of the day (without milk).

I once read that to keep away from the food cupboard, keeping ones hands busy is a good technique. I’ve started polishing an old Victorian , acorn topped, copper kettle that Richard found in his attic (which belonged to his Mum)….

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Everytime I feel the urge to raid the cupboards, I’m placing the copper kettle in front of me, reaching for the Brasso and cleaning a little patch at a time.  The beautiful copper colour is emerging, it’s true colours hidden away under layers of life but with a little TLC, determination and perseverance (much like the qualities needed to conquer a weight problem)  it’s brilliance will be restored..

One could learn a thing or two from this copper kettle.

PS Copper kettle updates on my Instagram http://instagram.com/wartimecooking

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Winner of the Home Front Memory Pack

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Brieana Kepley  CONGRATULATIONS! Your name was picked at random from over 90 entries. Wherever you are in the world please e-mail me ( 1940sexperiment@gmail.com ) your mailing address and I will pop the Home Front memory pack and replica newspaper in the post for you next week.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

 

C xxxx

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Just updating some social media

Having a bit more time on my hands I’ve just been updating the things I’d put off…

Feel free to subscribe or follow any of these and I’ll keep an eye out and follow yours too – thanks xx

 

BLOGHER- www.blogher.com/member/carolynekinsuk
PINTEREST- www.pinterest.com/1940sexperiment
INSTAGRAM- www.instagram.com/wartimecooking
TUMBLR- http://the1940sexperiment.tumblr.com/
BLOGLOVIN – Follow my blog with Bloglovin