Recipe: Shropshire fidget pie
- Serves 6
- Easy
Simple, cheap and traditional, Shropshire fidget pie makes an easy, warming dinner
Published:
The curiously named Shropshire fidget pie is one of the county’s best-known regional dishes and is commonly made using apples, bacon or gammon, and Shropshire potatoes. There are a number of theories as to the origin of the name: it’s thought it relates to the ingredients’ tendency to shuffle around in their pastry case when baked, or it could be that it was once ‘fitched’ – five-sided. A less palatable origin is that it smells like polecat (known in Shropshire as a ‘fitch’ or ‘fitchett’) while cooking. Whatever its origin, it’s a delicious meal served hot with buttered greens and a glass of local cider.
Rustle up this tasty pie for a warming meal in autumn and winter.
More warming recipes:
- Healthy, hearty soup recipes for autumn and winter
- Seasonal recipes from the orchard
- Pot roast beef brisket with red wine
Ingredients
For the filling
- Gammon steak 375g (13oz)
- Bramley cooking apples 2 medium, peeled
- Cider 160ml (¼pt)
- Shropshire potatoes 750g (1lb 10oz)
- Wholegrain mustard with honey 1 tbsp
- Butter 50g (1¾oz) butter
- Double cream 80g (3oz)
- Cheddar cheese 100g (3½oz)
For the pastry
- Plain flour 75g (2½oz)
- Self raising flour 75g (2½oz)
- Butter 75g (2½oz)
- Salt a pinch
- Water 50ml, add a tiny amount gradually until the pastry forms a ball
Method
Pastry
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/375°F/Gas 5. Make the pastry by sifting the plain and sel-raising flour and salt into a bowl. Dice butter and rub into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in water until pastry forms a ball. Wrap pastry in cling-film and rest in fridge 20 mins.
Filling
-
Step 1
Peel the potatoes, cut into chunks and cook in salted boiling water for around 20 mins. Dice the gammon and sauté in a pan until sealed. Add the cider to the pan and simmer for 15 mins until tender.
-
Step 2
Dice the apples, add to the gammon and stir to coat the apples with the sauce. Cook 2-3 mins then remove pan from the heat to cool.
-
Step 3
Drain the potatoes and mash with the cream, butter and mustard until smooth.
-
Step 4
Remove pastry from the fridge. Roll out and line a deep flan dish. Add gammon mix and top with grated cheese. Pipe or spoon the mustard mash on top to create topping. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 mins.