The Hairy Bikers' homity pie recipe
The TV chefs have updated this retro classic with more vegetables to create a great vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed by all.
The TV chefs have updated this retro classic with more vegetables to create a great vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed by all.
This traditional British homity pie is thought to date back to the Second World War, but it was its inclusion on the menu at Cranks Vegetarian Restaurant in the 1960s that saw it grow in popularity.
It remained popular in the seventies and eighties, but homity pies were often seen as somewhat worthy – leathery, unappetising with a smug crust.
But we thought this pie deserved a second look.
This recipe is the grandson of those early pies and, we bashfully believe, a great improvement. We’ve cut down on the potatoes to make it less heavy and added some broccoli and other root veg – although you can vary these as you like. Celeriac and swede would also work well in this deep-filled homity pie.
A great vegetarian dish that can be enjoyed by all.
* For vegan alternatives see Notes
Homity pie has been a favourite in vegetarian restaurants like Cranks for decades, and the recent growth in veganism has seen so many dairy-free alternatives to ingredients like butter, milk and cream that it's actually quite easy to adapt this recipe into a vegan homity pie. Try this vegan homity pie recipe from Aimee Ryan, author of Great British Vegan.
The origins of the homity pie are vague, it's widely believed to have originated in the South West, either Cornwall or Devon, with 'Devon pie' being a common name for it. What we do know is that it really came into its own during World War II as it primarily uses vegetable ingredients which weren't rationed, much like another popular vegetable pie from the era, Woolton pie. With the nation being encouraged to 'dig for victory' this veg-packed pie was just the ticket as it includes easy-to-grow vegetables like potatoes, turnips, leeks and carrots. The rationed ingredients like cream and cheese would have been used sparingly for flavour.
In the 1960s homity pie saw a revival when Cranks Vegetarian Restaurant added it to its menu at a time when vegetarianism was gaining popularity, particularly among the hippie subculture.
In more recent years homity pie has been popularised by the Hairy Bikers in their Best of British series, and it's this deep-filled version that doesn't skimp on the previously rationed ingredients that is popular today as a tasty and frugal vegetarian pie.
The Hairy Bikers’ British Classics by Si King and Dave Myers (Seven Dials), RRP: £22.
(Hero image credit: The Hairy Bikers)
Si King and Dave Myers, the Hairy Bikers, became national treasures with their blend of enthusiasm and humour.
They hosted more than 30 TV series combining motorcycling and cooking, and sold more than 6 million copies of their books. In February 2024, Dave Myers passed away after a long battle with cancer.
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The TV chefs have updated this retro classic with more vegetables to create a great vegetarian dish.
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