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!
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Leave skins on your potatoes and chop into chunky cubes, place in boiling water and simmer until tender
- 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
- 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!
- 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
- Cook in oven at 220C until the top is browned
- 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”
