Crafts, Cooking, Farmers Market Addictions: Woolton/vegetable pie

Woolton pie


Enjoy

I have seriously neglected my blog, I didn't post 1 time last year so have resolved to be better this year. For my 1st recipe of 2015 I'm choosing Woolton pie that I made this past Saturday. A bit of history concerning Woolton pie first. It was named after Frederick Marquis, 1st Lord Woolton who popularized the recipe after he became Minister of Food in 1940 during WWII. It was an adaptable, inexpensive dish of vegetables widely served in Britain when rationing and shortages made other dishes hard to prepare. A couple of years ago, we watched a series called Supersizers Go where each episode highlighted food from a different era and this one was on during the war years. I looked up the recipe, adapted it and made it for my family. They loved it and it became a new family favorite. It's basically a vegetable pot pie served with brown gravy. The 1st couple I made in a deep dish pie pan but changed to a square baker so it's more pot pie than pie. It is very easy to prepare and versatile depending what vegetables you like and are available. The main ingredients are potatoes, onions and carrots but I've also added sweet peppers, sweet potatoes, broccoli, cabbage and sometimes summer squash. Really any kind of vegetable works as long as there's potatoes. I use box pie crust since my homemade crust always falls apart. The last couple times I've made it, I used jar gravy too instead of homemade. The gravy really makes it. My husband loves it and he's very much a meat person but doesn't mind that there's not any meat in it since it's topped with gravy. I usually make 2 at a time and we eat on them all week, they reheat really well in the microwave.
Recipe
1 box pie crust

cook chopped veggies in skillet

brown gravy, mix, jar or homemade

3 to 4 cups chopped vegetables, per pie
4 potatoes, 2 sweet peppers, 4 carrots, broccoli,
cabbage, winter or summer squash, 1 onion
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
chopped or minced garlic
1 to 2 t each of seasoned salt, pepper, parsley
1/2 to 1 cup instant mashed potatoes
1 cup water
2 cups shredded cheese

pie crust in bottom

Cook chopped veggies in butter, oil and water in large skillet, add seasonings and cover until fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Meanwhile prepare square baker or pie pan with 1 crust on bottom. When vegetables are done, thicken with instant mashed potatoes and spoon over crust, top with shredded cheese. Add second crust and seal sides, I just folded it over. Cut 4 slits in top to vent. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Meanwhile heat or make brown gravy. Let pie stand 5 minutes before slicing. Slice and serve with gravy. Enjoy.