Wartime Woolton Pie with a Modern Twist

To mark the 70th anniversary of VE day (8th May) the Potato Council are bringing Potato Pete back to life through wartime recipes that have been given a modern makeover. Potato Pete was created to encourage Brits to 'Dig for Victory' and grow their own vegetables during the war when foods were rationed. One such wartime recipe that uses a plentiful supply of homegrown vegetables was the Woolton Pie; a filling & nutritious pie of root vegetables with a potato and wheatmeal crust.

source

Potatoes are the original superfood, with research showing children get more Vitamin C, B1, B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium from potatoes than from the 5 superfoods; beetroot, bananas, nuts, broccoli and avocado combined.

Average intakes of potassium, iodine, folate and vitamin B6 are more than 10% higher in adults who regularly consume more potatoes rather than alternative carbohydrates such as pasta or rice. The average intakes of potassium, folate, vitamin A and vitamin B6 are also more than 6% higher in children who consume potatoes regularly.*

• *In 2011 Potato Council worked with nutritionists who analysed original data files from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), a programme of surveys designed to assess the diet, nutrient intake and nutritional status of children and adults in the UK. Data was categorised according to whether adults and children ate more potatoes than alternative carbohydrates (rice/pasta) over the 4 days of the NDNS survey 
  

I decided to make a modern version of the Woolton pie by pimping the vegetable filling up a bit with garlic, white wine and cream, and topping with a flaky pastry crust made with butter, which would have been a luxury with wartime rationing. Of course, if you want to make this healthier you can add half fat creme fraiche instead of double cream, and reduced fat cream cheese.

The pie was delicious, and probably a million miles away from the somewhat bland pie of the 1940's. We ate it for lunch at the weekend, and it would make a great accompaniment to a Sunday joint.

Wartime Woolton Pie with a Modern Twist - serves 4-5

1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
25g butter
1 tbsp Marmite
tbsp fresh thyme
400g potatoes, peeled & diced (I used Vales Sovereign variety which are firm and smooth and hold together well in a pie)
250g swede, peeled & diced
250g carrots, peeled & diced
300g cauliflower
300ml white wine
150ml double cream (for a healthier dish substitute with half fat creme fraiche)
black pepper
1 egg, beaten

pastry
250g plain flour
pinch of salt
2 tsp fresh thyme
150g cream cheese
150g cold butter, diced

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over a low heat
• Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute
• Add the butter, marmite & thyme and stir until the butter has melted
• Add the potatoes, swede & carrots and fry for 2 minutes whilst stirring
• Add the cauliflower and white wine
• Stir everything together and place the lid on and simmer for approx 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender
• Make the pastry by combining everything in a food mixer until it just comes together
• Roll the pastry out to just larger than your pie dish
• Remove vegetables from the heat & stir in the double cream and season with black pepper to taste
• Add the vegetables to you pie dish and cover with the pastry (I don't bother trimming to size and instead just tuck the edges in)
• Brush generously with beaten egg
• Bake in a preheated 200C oven for 30 minutes, until golden brown

• For more information about potatoes and recipes visit www.lovepotatoes.co.uk 
  

If you like what you see here then please consider voting for me in the 2015 Britmums Brilliance in Blogging Awards, in the food category. Thank you.

This recipe has been commissioned by The Potato Council

Baileys Chocolate Lasagne

This dessert is an extremely indulgent one, and not one that you would find yourself eating every day. This is the type of dessert that I would serve at a dinner party, or perhaps when friends were coming over for tea and cake.

It's extremely easy to make, yet it tastes so good that your friends will think you've been slaving over it for hours.

 

Baileys, for me, is a drink that I would often have at the end of an evening with friends. I like mine in coffee, whereas the husband takes his straight, over ice. It's also very much a holiday drink, and only last week I was enjoying a Baileys and Amaretto beside the hotel pool in Majorca with my friends.

It's also an ingredient that I will often add to a dessert to give it a touch more indulgence, and have included in recipes such as Irish soda bread, orange & Baileys Ice Cream, Baileys Coffee Cupcakes, Cheesecake, Chocolate Irish coffee pots and Chocolate Chai Tea Cocktail.

Once assembled, this dessert will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it great to make ahead before your guests arrive.

Baileys Chocolate Lasagne - serves 8 full slices or 16 half slices

for the chocolate cake
75ml boiling water
3 tbsp cocoa powder
200g butter, melted
200g caster sugar
3 medium eggs (approx 200g weighed in their shells)
200g self raising flour

filling
400ml double cream
450g mascarpone
130ml Baileys
50g caster sugar
1 chocolate Flake (or grated milk chocolate)

• Whisk the cocoa powder into the boiling water and then add to a bowl with the melted butter & caster sugar
• Mix until smooth and allow to cool slightly
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time
• Fold in the flour until well combined
• Pour batter into a greased & lined 13"x9" baking tin
• Bake in a preheated 180C oven for 20 minutes, until springy to the touch
• Remove from oven & allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool fully
• Once the cake is cool, trim off any uneven edges & slice through it to give 2 thinner layers, and cut each of these in half to get 4 slices of sponge, equal in size
• To assemble the lasagne you can either do it in a tin or on a plate
• Lay the first layer of sponge in the tray and brush with a little Baileys to moisten it, but don't make it soggy
• Whisk the cream, mascarpone, 100ml Baileys and sugar together until peaks form (don't over whisk or it will become dry and difficult to spread smoothly)
• Spread approximately quarter of the cream mixture onto the layer of sponge
• Place another layer of sponge on top and brush with a little of the remaining Baileys 
• Repeat with the cream layer until all the layers have been formed
• Sprinkle with the crushed Flake (or grated milk chocolate)
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving

This complete recipe contains approx 130ml of Baileys Original Irish Cream, which is equivalent to just under 2.7 units of alcohol. The NHS recommend that you do not regularly exceed 3-4 units for men and 2-3 units for woman a day.

If you like what you see here then please consider voting for me in the 2015 Britmums Brilliance in Blogging Awards, in the food category. Thank you.

This post has been commissioned for Baileys