Homity pie
Rich wholemeal pastry packed with a potato, onion and cheese filling makes for a humble but flavourful homity pie recipe. A little spinach and nutmeg makes the Hairy Bikers' version even more delicious.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 125g/4oz plain flour, plus extra for rolling
- 125g/4oz wholemeal flour
- 150g/5oz butter
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
For the filling
- 850g/1lb 14oz floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and cut into quarters
- 25g/1oz butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 onions, halved and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 100g/3½oz baby spinach leaves
- 175g/6oz mature cheddar, coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Put the flour and butter in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the mixture just comes together as a dough. Bring the dough together and flatten into a round.
Put the pastry in the centre of a 20cm/8in springform cake tin and carefully ease it over the base and up the sides of the tin.
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Drain in a colander, tip back into the saucepan and cut into 3cm/1¼in pieces with a round-bladed knife.
Melt the butter and oil in a frying pan and fry the onions gently for 15 minutes, or until soft and pale golden-brown. Add the garlic and cook for two further minutes, stirring regularly.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/Gas 6.
Add the onions and garlic to the potatoes and sprinkle with 100g/3½oz of the cheese and the parsley. Add the spinach leaves and season with nutmeg, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix all the ingredients together until well combined.
Spoon the filling mixture into the pastry case. Pour over the cream and allow it to drizzle down between the layers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Place the tin on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and pale golden-brown.
Leave the pie to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Remove the pie from the tin and place it on a serving plate. Cut into thick wedges with a sharp knife.
Recipe Tips
This recipe is great for using up leftover boiled potatoes or even mash.