1940's WAR TIME RECIPE WOOLTON Pie Both pastry

[@annesoper911]

My parents were married in 1943 in Winchester,England and I came along in 46 to join my brother who was already 2.I remember rationing. I don't recall this type of pastry but my mom and nan were amazing cooks making " something out of nothing ".This was passed to me as many of my friends commented on how I could do just that not because of lack of products but because of lack of money when I was a young wife in the sixties and seventies. I always said to mom that she didn't know the war was over.She always asked me how many eggs in a cake etc.At that time I had a hobby farm with chickens. We always endeavored, I still do,to make do and mend. The comments were wonderful as was the video.

[@BackyardChef]

Anne, this is what this channel is about. Thank you for sharing. Loved reading. Best, Rik

[@Noname-ni1dy]

I’ve been watching “Foyle’s War” on Acorn tv. It has educated me on how hard life was for British people during WW2. I remember in one episode an onion was raffled off and the winner was so thrilled to have an onion, that’s how hard it was to get food. Talk about struggling to feed families. I think lots of creative cooking was one result of rationing.

[@BackyardChef]

Some of the best cooking I reckon. I'm glad I wasn't there at that time, however I would have loved a time travel to some of the kitchens. Best, Rik

[@mrdangiles90]

I remember that episode of Foyles War and the episode when there's a turkey stored at the police station as evidence and they just wanted to cook it 🙂

[@Noname-ni1dy]

I remember, it made me wonder how long a turkey could be left at room temperature without spoiling.

[@thepotterer3726]

How serendipitous, I'm watching an episode of Foyles War now,(the Funk Hole) and Lord Walton - Minister of Food, is mentioned.

[@corinnedews7277]

There was also onion blight, which affected the supply of onions.

[@annalieff-saxby568]

I have "The Victory Cookbook", compiled from government pamphlets giving "ration-friendly" recipes. I've not yet made Woolton Pie, but every recipe I've tried so far has been excellent. The "potato scones" I made were a real winner as part of a buffet. Nobody could guess what they were made from, but everyone wanted more.

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds amazing!. Best, Rik

[@carollewis5931]

I have that cookbook and I've tried a few I cooked the black pudding casserole for my husband but it has my favourite bread pudding recipe 😊

[@extropiantranshuman]

who's the author? Marguerite Patten right?

[@annalieff-saxby568]

@@extropiantranshuman Yes, that's correct.

[@paulapridy6804]

1950s farm wife with 7 big boys was my Aunt Ann's life ehen we visited with 5 girls. She was thrilled to learn biscuits made with leftover mashed potatoes. Light and fluffy every morning 😋

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@AlineCohen-r2z]

I was born in 1946 and had an abhorrence of waste dinned into me by my mother. To this day I hate seeing food thrown away. I like the look of the potato pastry, but I would definitely add some corned beef or sausage to the filling - I'm an unapologetic carnivore! Thank you for a most interesting history lesson as well as the recipe

[@BackyardChef]

You are very welcome, thanking you for sharing. Add away, the corned beef sounds like a good plan. Best, Rik

[@dukwdriver2909]

Margarine was for baking. Butter was for special treats. That looks like about 1 month of butter ration for half a pie crust.

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@mariannebarber4817]

Thankyou for the recipes Rik ❤

[@lizhannah8412]

It makes you humble as we take things for granted nowadays. When I was a wee lassie, I used to hear my Mum and my Grannie talk about the good old days. Were they really? Now I understand when they could make something out of nothing, and it tasted like heaven. I must say that I'm a vegetable lover, thanks to them. Thanks to you, we learn something different every day.

[@BackyardChef]

Yes, as the saying goes, "Never take anything for granted." The times must have been tough - resilient people. It does make you wonder how good the days were? I'm a meat eater; however, a plate full of vegetables like this potato pastry pie is terrific. It would keep me going. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@lizhannah8412]

@@BackyardChef Yes indeed.

[@irishgirl1753]

Yes I guess we were poor and less weight on us !!!!

[@yvonnejinks7042]

I remember my Nana making the potato pastry in the early 1950s. It was a favourite of my grandfathers. I did not realise it was a war time pastry. She would give me a little piece to rollout and it was so soft and easy for little hands. I thank you for this memory, I had completely forgotten about it and yes it did taste wonderful

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you for sharing. Great memories. Best, Rik

[@SandraNevins-c3l]

My grandparents didn't peel veggies, " Give a good scrub and rinse". Other wise the "waste"(peels) was fed to chickens. Mend, make do. Waste not. I like potato crust better.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@TuckerSP2011]

Amazing! The potato crust looked much better to me but the whole pie looked delicious. We had wartime rationing here in the US but weren't under constant bombardment like our brave British cousins. Salute!

[@BackyardChef]

Tough times for all. I agree the potato pastry was outstanding. Blew me away how good it is. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@missmerrily4830]

I was born just after the end of WW2 but rationing went on until I was around 6, so I remember Woolton pie. I'd forgotten all about it, but it did feature quite often on my childhood menu, as much because it was a favourite as because it was cheap and filling, and not because no meat was available. ( Luckily, although I lived in the city, we had lots of country 'cousins' so things like rabbit were fairly plentiful for us). My mum was a genius at making ends meet and I'm glad she passed lots of her tips on to me. So I'm for having a go at this again. I think I'd love it again, now that I eat much less meat anyway but I think I'll make regular shortcrust pastry since there's no need to use potato now. (But this did bring back happy family memories of our dashing home from school on a winter afternoon and smelling a delicious pie for dinner, baking in the oven). A lovely video. Thank you!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you for sharing those memories. Best. Rik

[@ianleshall4985]

I was born in 1946 so obviously I missed the war, but my love of food and cooking is a biit of a hobby. Thanks Rick for all the different recipes you have a shown. Keep up the good work chef

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you very much, will do. Its Rik just plain old Rik. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@yvonnewalesuk8035]

Thankfully, you didn't have to go through the war years, but you'd still have experienced rationing, though, as it didn't end until 1954.

[@salaama9]

Watching Rik's gustatory gusto is the best part, up a whole other level!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@russellgibbon8621]

Thank you Rik. I have really enjoyed myself today, great fun. I made two meat pies, identical fillings. Pie One had a mashed potato crust base and it was topped with oats crust. The other pie was the opposite, oats dough base and mashed potato dough on the top. We ate the oats topped one today. The other one is for tomorrow. Contrary to my expectation, I liked the oats pastry more than the mashed potato pastry, but they both certainly work.

[@BackyardChef]

Fantastic, thanks for giving it a go. The pastries are amazing aren't they. Those old day chefs knew a thing or two o make it all work. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@wwsuwannee7993]

Not all delicious food needs an animal in it :) Good history background, thanks Rik.

[@BackyardChef]

You got that right! This was actually a tasty meal. I loved it all. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@brianshaw373]

Thanks for keeping the knowledge of wartime cooking in people’s mind; it seems to be forgotten. My Nana, in the US, talked about the challenges of feeding 7 children during the wartime rationing era and, later, on welfare rations. Good food resulted despite the limitations.

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. Good resilient people got on with it, regardless. I take my hat off to all of them. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@joannemackown5572]

They would be hungry in the day as no food available for snacking between meals so the pie would taste really delicious. The potato crust looked lovely. You inspire me. I have ordered malt extract to make malt loaf.

[@BackyardChef]

Very true! Hope you enjoy the malt loaf I made one today for the weekend. Best, Rik

[@AdoptAGreyhound59]

me too, I got Meridian malt extract in for that very purpose once I saw RIk's video. I haven't got round to it yet but RIk's recipes do work very well. His Lemon Drizzle cake is lovely and was scoffed in no time by family and friends who are now waiting on the malt loaf.

[@paulinewayland713]

I was born in the late 1950s, we didn't eat anything between meals.

[@jenwanner4911]

Being a 62 year old American woman, (with foreign parts, lol), I of course don't remember rationing, but I do remember hearing my family tell stories about it. I think your channel is like history lessons through food, which I find fascinating. Keep up the great work Rik. I love it. Cheers

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@andyshaw3408]

Just in the process of watching todays video,as soon as I heard you say pastry with mashed potato,I thought I would comment that I have made potato pastry for meat pies for over 30 years since I saw a recipe for it. I use lard instead of butter. I have passed the recipe on to quite a few people over the years.

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! Nice to hear the old style of cooking is still around. Well done. Best, Rik

[@jackjacko8706]

My mother being a Pastry Cook in a shop during the War in Liverpool, made the most delicious pies , introduced me to hot water pastry in making Pork Pies. One of the early favourites was a reduced Scouse as a pie filling. You have brought back many memories to an 80 year old.

[@BackyardChef]

Happy memories and good luck to you. Thank you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@yvonnewalesuk8035]

Jack, thanks for firing up my memory cells too. My mam used to make a great beef stew. As the stew became thicker (and there was less of it, especially the meat!), she'd make it go further by putting the remaining stew in a roasting tin, then make some mashed potato pastry to cover it, put that in the oven to cook, and it was very, very tasty. Happy Days! 🙌

[@suffolkmac]

I done this recipe a few years ago found it in an old war cookbook published by the government, the difference is I used grated uncooked potatoes half and half flour. Also in the filling use beef stock or oxo cube u can hardly tell it doesn’t have meat in it it was loverly

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds like you did a good job. Best, Rik

[@deb7834]

I made this with the mash pastry and i added some veg suet. It was great. The family loved it. Thank you Rik

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@irishgirl1753]

Love all your great old time recipes 🍀❤️🫶

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks so much 😊 Best, Rik

[@chriswade7470]

The major rationing problem would have been the shortening, as butter, lard, margarine was rationed. They used to substitute liquid paraffin ( which of course has a laxative effect!) Onions unless you grew your own were also difficult to source as up until WW2 most onions in the U.K. came from France. Mushrooms were also not easy to acquire unless you lived in a country area. We are so spoilt these days to always be able to source them in supermarkets and of course today they are farmed which they weren’t at that time. I made woolton pie many years ago, from a WW2 recipe. It was ok, but I haven’t repeated it since. Lord Woolton was the Wartime Minister of Food, which explains why it was named after him.

[@PatGilliland]

My dad had a very memorable wartime Christmas when his present was a single orange. Now we get time in quantity any time of the year.

[@BackyardChef]

Agree with everything, thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@Ron-uq2hg]

@@chriswade7470 I grew up in New Zealand during WWII. We also had heavy rationing as any surplus food was sent to England. Even though I lived on the North Shore of Auckland we had horse paddocks just over our back fence. The horses were for the delivery people. Milk, Bread etc. as there were no vans. My job in season was to pick mushrooms in season. The mushrooms were up to 12” in diameter and when you turned them over they were black. Before cooking it was my job to peel a tough layer of flesh off the top of the mushrooms. To this day I can still remember the taste of those mushrooms. They were very strong flavoured and delicious. After the war delivery vans became available and the horse padlocks were sold for housing. The mushrooms disappeared and were replaced by cultivated ones. Still tasted good but nowhere as good tasting as the old ones.

[@SusanPratt-ti7xk]

I have made both pies but with cold leftovers of boiled veg as it saves waste add some mustard to the mix and season veg ,peas,beans

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds lovely. Best, Rik

[@coffeebot3000]

I’m fascinated by wartime/depression era food. It’s amazing some of the things people come up with.

[@BackyardChef]

I agree. Amazing. Best, Rik

[@JaneB67]

What a great pie....takes me back to what my nan used to make 😊

[@BackyardChef]

Good memories. Best, Rik

[@tellitlikeitis-rg4ny]

Potato is used in few things to keep moist cakes , bread ect , it works great to add ww2 diet was one of the healthiest diets

[@BackyardChef]

Agreed! Best, Rik

[@Ron-uq2hg]

@@tellitlikeitis-rg4ny I remember reading a report a few years ago that during WWII with the rationing the British people were the in the best health condition ever recorded.

[@AvaT42]

🇨🇦 I just made this Woolton pie today. I found the crust easy to work with, did not add water. Tasted a bit like undercooked dough. But worst was it was taking so long to brown. Now I just realized I had on 350f. Not 380. sigh. next time I make this type of crust will use 400f maybe that will help.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank You. Best, Rik

[@dorishaynes5165]

I have never heard of these kinds of pastries before. Thank you for the history culinary knowledge. I really enjoyed it.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@annettefournier9655]

My mom used to tell me about rationing and blackouts. Only margarine and it was white. They used to include a yellow dye tablet if you wanted to color it. They lived on a river so fished a lot. Eels were a favorite.😮

[@BackyardChef]

It must have been tough times. Strong people back then. Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@elisaastorino2881]

My mom talked about that margarine - she was a kid during the war. She said it wasn't very good.

[@annettefournier9655]

@@elisaastorino2881 Yeah my mom hated it.

[@prarieborn6458]

I remeber the margaine in the plastic bags. it had a little capsule of yellow dye in the bag. I got to ‘work’ the color into the wihite stuff by squeezing the bag. it was great fun. I was only 4 yrs old and that was in 1948 in 🇺🇸. margarine was something brand new on the market it was after the War but my folks told me about how everything was rationed in the US too. It tasted like grease.. my folks tried to get me to eat it when it was packaged like butter in cubes, but i could tell from looking at it that it was not butter Everyone thought “mar -jar-reen” was just great, but not me or my Grandma. she said it made her cookies ‘“too hard”. I recall my Dad, filling the trunk of our little ford coupe, with old tires. We took a long trip from MT to ND and when a tire blew out, he would throw it in the ditch and put on another one. because rubber and tires were still rationed. i have also heard through books or movies that wartime breadd was made with sawdust..is that really true? how could people eat sawdust and not get sick from the slivers??

[@BackyardChef]

Amazing! Thank you. Best, Rik@@Lamya65

[@andrewcoates6641]

Rik, you’re 100% correct. My father who was evacuated during the war, remembered that the day he and his siblings returned home his mother had made a batch of jam tarts for after tea and she had used mashed potato to make the pastry for them.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@dougcombrinck451]

Hi Rik,you recipes blow me away, simple, cheap an delicious. Just what a pensioner needs! Keep up the great work!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@pixie3760]

I'm watching this and have just eaten my Rag Pudding. My gosh it was absolutely delicious, I'm as full as a butchers pup and have enough for my dinner tomorrow night. Thanks Ric, I'm loving these recipes,.

[@BackyardChef]

Wonderful! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@ChristineDriver-i1m]

What is rag pudding

[@mitomom4947]

Hey Rik, have you ever thought about making a cookbook? Of all types of recipes or the British regional and historical recipes you’ve shared with us? Many thanks for your channel! 💜

[@BackyardChef]

I haven't. Many are asking. One day! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Curlyblonde]

Love to get my hands on and collect all those Depression Era cookbooks. They teach us a thing or two about frugality and resourcefulness, which might come in handy for the hard times to come. Love that you breathe in new life to these old recipes to teach the younger generations about how to feed themselves when resources are lean.

[@BackyardChef]

I would love those too! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@peterlittle4205]

I am 77, and I remember watching my mam making both types of pie. The potato one was Humber pie.and the other was scotch pie. Big difference is all these included stewing or braising steak. Because my dad was definitely not vegetarian, plus there was 3 butchers within 100 yards of our shop.thats how it was then.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank for sharing. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@amandabrown352]

Hi love old recipes, ihave one i use to make cornish pasties using potatoes and lard in the pastry

[@BackyardChef]

Yes! That works very well. Best, Rik

[@RampantDaydream]

Healthy hearty nosh! No wonder most people back then were healthy!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@alicetwain]

In Apulia, southern Italy, they make focaccia with some mashed potatoes mixed in the bread dough. It makes it tasty and very light and kinda moist. The foaccia is topped with small cherry tomatoes, extravirgin olive oil, and a little salt (very little). It's supertasty.

[@j.e.m.7182]

I've made focaccia with mashed potatoes before and it's indeed as wonderful as it sounds. I didn't top it with cherry tomatoes but I have made schiacciata topped with cherry tomatoes that I served with baked ricotta before and it was just divine. The next time I make focaccia I'll have to top it off with some cherry tomatoes and see how it goes!!

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! I love all of that. Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@alicetwain]

@@j.e.m.7182 Just scatter a few around, maybe in just one corner.

[@j.e.m.7182]

@@alicetwain alright, thanks for the tip I appreciate it 😊👍👍

[@diane9501]

What a great recipe Rik, love the history lessons from you too. Thank you once again 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@BackyardChef]

Glad you enjoyed it. thank you. Best, Rik

[@staceypenn1095]

My mum used to make this. However, she used leftover bacon grease to fry the onions. She said my nana did this, because she had used all of her fat ration in making the crust.

[@BackyardChef]

Wow! Thank you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@WolfmanWoody]

I was born in the winter after the war and although I don't remember my mum making this pie I do remember all the other cheap meals made from what was available. I even remember going to the shops with her ration book until I was around 8 years old. This looks really tasty though and would suite a lot of vegans now. OK, no butter, perhaps.

[@BackyardChef]

Yes I agree. Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@stacierichardson4475]

Thank you as always, looks yummy! I remember seeing my Mother in law making something very similar to these crusts.😁

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds amazing! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@gavinchapaz9515]

really enjoyed this and will be giving them a try

[@BackyardChef]

Hope you enjoy as much as I did. Best, Rik

[@davidmurphy816]

Fascinating Rik, just shows how much we take for granted nowadays. Really liked the look of the potato pastry & might give it a go, bet the trimmings wouldn’t have been wasted & probably were cooked on a griddle like a tattie scone. Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for watching. I agree. Nothing wasted back in the day. My thoughts were with thousands of folks who made pastry like this to support the war effort. Just amazing! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@elisaastorino2881]

There's a lady on YT who lived through the war and she made chips (for us Americans) or crisps with the peelings.

[@mirandamom1346]

I love a side of history with my pie!

[@BackyardChef]

It sometimes is nice to know how , I agree. Best, Rik

[@gwenstone8171]

Mushrooms weren’t in the shops but we sometimes picked them in a local farmer’s field. They were fried, not in butter, we only got 2ozs a week!

[@Ann-nv5sm]

Everything was fried in beef dripping or lard as I remember

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing, Gwen. Best, Rik

[@davidcampbell2845]

Excellent video. A worthy recipe for modern austerity. The potato-pastry is very close to Scottish potato scone mix! Just do what you did, toast the potato-pastry, then fry in butter as part of a traditional fry-up with your fantastic Lorne square sliced sausage!

[@BackyardChef]

Yes! David, you have just jumped forward of my video list. Thank you as always. Best, Rik

[@AdoptAGreyhound59]

Oooooh, man, that looks great. I'm for trying the potato pastry first, the lower fat content will allow me to have pie after many years of not being able to have pastry at all. Next week is my organic veg delivery so I'm really looking forward to trying this. Maybe a wee sweet pie on another day with the oatmeal pastry. Spoilt for choice now. Thanks, Rik, another good yin 👍

[@BackyardChef]

Thought of you when deciding this. That potato pastry is amazing. That can be made into all sorts of things. Hope you give that one a go. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@AdoptAGreyhound59]

thanks Rick, much appreciated. That'll be later in the week . This evening's job is prepping the veg for your scrumptious colcannon again for tomorrow's dinner... and hopefully a wee bit left over for bubble n squeak on Sunday morn. Wee afternoon at the theatre tomorrow afternoon with us looking forward to the colcannon with a wee stew afterwards. Keep well. @@BackyardChef

[@AdoptAGreyhound59]

oops sorry, I meant Rik.

[@BackyardChef]

All sounds lovely. Best, Rik@@AdoptAGreyhound59

[@JoyfulHippy]

I'll bet that's nice with a suet pastry crust as well.

[@BackyardChef]

Yes, I would imagine it is. Best, Rik

[@thelifeofjools8384]

What a superb video ! Thanks man....this kind of information and the old techniques are so hard to find these days... Let's face it, with the current military shenanigans and an economic depression looming, these meal ideas are a Godsend. If things get really bad, you'd be the perfect person to front a "Teach the nation to cook" public broadcast campaign. I've downloaded this video...well worth a place in my prepardness library.... All the best 👍 Edit...to add... i shall be cooking both types of pastry and the pie asap... great vegetarian dish.

[@BackyardChef]

Wow! Thank you very much! All the best to you, Rik

[@stealth3764]

I use this recipe. When I fry the vegetables I like to add 1/2 t spoon of chilli powder and a clove of garlic, the mashed patato pastry is better for that recipe. The oat pastry I use for making apple pies I add 1 t spoon of honey to the pastry.

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! Best, Rik

[@AudreyWenham]

Wonton pie was named after the Minister for Food during the War years. There would have been no butter in it as the ration was very meagre per person. Probably lard. There would have been no mushrooms as these were not available. I am 92 and lived through the War helping my Mother with the cooking. My father “dug for victory” so nearly all veg eaten would have come from the garden. It amazes me that people nowadays cannot manage to cook even the basic recipes and consume so much Junk food. More power to you Rik, keep the basic cooking going!!

[@BackyardChef]

Its a shame how folks can't cook - I think they are all going to be having a wake up call in the next couple of years. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Sisterfifi]

I have a cookie recipe that has more fine oatmeal than flour and tastes great, so I reckon your oatmeal pastry with added sugar would be great with sweet pies and tarts.

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! I agree. Best, Rik

[@snarky_user]

Yes, my favorite cookie recipe is also mostly composed of oatmeal that has been run through a food processor. Makes for a tender cookie and a richer flavor.

[@PatGilliland]

We made Woolton pie from a period cookbook for a WWII reenactment. As I recall we used the potato based pastry, but overall a lot less fat of all kinds than you used. Overall it was very good but definitely benefited from additional salt and pepper. While we enjoyed it as a one off, it would be tough going eating it regularly for 6 years of war. p.s. Don't forget to save your veg trimmings for stock or the local pig club.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@yvonnewalesuk8035]

I was raised by parents and grandparents who'd endured food rationing from when it began in 1940 until it ended 14 long years later. They survived it though and carried on their frugal ways after I was born (which was long after rationing ended, I hasten to add!). "Waste not, want not!" was a favourite saying of my grandmother. My mother taught me how to make mashed potato pastry. It's lovely, and I make it a lot - especially if on a diet, which I am now, thanks to making, and eating, your lovely versions of our most beloved recipes, Rik! 😉

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. Liked reading. Thank you. Best. Rik

[@lindyashford7744]

I think a good housewife would have folded the edge of the pastry over and crimped it with her fingers and maybe used any left over bits to decorate the pie, maybe the children would help with that. The potato pastry looks very good. If it could be had they would definitely have thickened the sauce with cornflour. I think that if they had cheese rinds they might also have used those to add flavour. I could see this as a summer pie with runner beans on the side,mor a winter pie with any stored root veg. That potato pastry also looks as if it would make a good apple pie. I lived in a house with a mature Victorian kitchen garden, even after the war there was rationing till about 1954, so many of the wartime recipes were used quite a long time after the war ended. Everything that could be stored or preserved was done so. The rest was eaten or shared, very little got wasted.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@neilanthonyhaywardlewis8978]

I make potatoe pastry when I make a meat and potatoe pie, I once made it when I lived in Manchester for a few years ago for some friends, the first time they tried it, they loved it, its a good pie pastry Rik...

[@BackyardChef]

Its amazing, mate. It was the comparison I was interested in. Both pastries were given out as recipes. I prefer the potato, however I'm sure if I was in the situation they were in back then, I would enjoy a pie made with the oats. Thanks as always, mate. Best, Rik

[@normalovell-w8v]

Rik, your remarkable- have given me a fresh urge for forgotten recipes! Oh heaven! Thank you, love your sense of humour!😊😊😊😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@jessebos5413]

Your videos are mouth wateringly good! l love when you chest-level sit down at your table to tuck in, complete with the oohs and ahhhhs! Your accent is the icing on the cake...no pun intended!😂 So grateful! ❤ from Canada! 🇨🇦

[@BackyardChef]

Wow! Thank you very much! I believe in showing the results not just holding up some food that tastes like, tosh! Love to Canada. Best, Rik

[@sallyjeffrey2803]

Like the idea of making pastry with mashed potatoes.

[@BackyardChef]

It's fantastic, Sally. Really good and healthier too! Best, Rik

[@Knappa22]

UK public health has never been as good as it was at the end of the 2nd world war. Malnourishment had been more or less eradicated due to government subsidy, fatty and sweet things were rationed, and people were encouraged to cook seasonally. Woolton pie says it all - root vegetables cooked in their own juices with a light pastry. Very healthy and nutritious.

[@BackyardChef]

Agreed! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@esthersnyman1238]

Sounds great. I am going to give it a try. We dont get parsnips where I live. I am going to try it with sweet potatoes... I love your videos. Blessings from South Africa

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Any veg, use what you can. I love sweet potatoes eat regularly. Love to SA. Best, Rik

[@margaretfrew6661]

My parents were also wedded in April 1939 and my dad volunteered in the September, I was born later on. My mother from not knowing anything about cooking to becoming a very good cook. As below I can remember some details. 1, is dumplings, toad in the hole, corned beef somethings. I can remember as a 8yr old going to get the meat and egg ration, my mum caught me swinging the bag around my head as I walked home, needless to say she recieved scrambled eggs, there were a few left untouched. The butcher used to give me a little taste of the corned beef, I never told my mum until I was about 70 yrs old.

[@BackyardChef]

Lovely, thanks for sharing. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Bessie66]

I remember mash potato chocolate cake too that mother in law use to make

[@BackyardChef]

Yum! Best, Rik

[@johnbaldwin143]

Excellent Rik. I am a big fan of wartime cooking and cooking with offal too. Certainly will try the potato pastry as I usually use suet.

[@BackyardChef]

Hope you enjoy, its a great pastry. Best, Rik

[@johnbaldwin143]

@@BackyardChefI can see me making small stuffed food buns with it. Similar to Boa buns. You sir are an inspiration 👍

[@Ann-nv5sm]

That pie looked really good Rik. I was born before the war & remember the pies my mum used to make ,I know she used margarine and lard , and sometimes suet, but I think that may have been for a steamed pudding. The pastry& potato mix looked very much like my potato cake mix that I roll out cut like scones & bake in the oven , we had vegetables in season so mushrooms were a treat if you could go to the fields & pick them early in the morning in the summer. Happy days ❤

[@jennyt966]

The potato pastry looks nice. I expect both my Nans would have made that. I remember my mum making vegetable pie in the 70's, sometimes putting a little streaky bacon in it. I don't think she put mushrooms in it, just all the root veg. It was nice and filling and warming on a cold day, after school.

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! I love the streaky bacon being slipped in as an alternative pie. Best, Rik

[@chiccabay9911]

That was very interesting and looks really worth a go.Thanks.

[@BackyardChef]

Yes, the potato pastry is on my make list going forward. Lovely tasting and healthier too! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Anna-v4g7g]

My mum used to make this all the time there were seven kids and my parents, so everything was home made bottle fruit veg growing in the garden our own chooks and fruit trees. Was the best . Thanks for your recipe ❤

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@pennykafai4645]

I think o would prefer the mash potato pastry. Considering it’s soft mash potatoes it holds the structure extremely well. The oatmeal pastry looks really dry. So my vote goes to the mash potato pastry. As you say the potato pastry cooks up well, nice colour and texture. Thanks for demonstrating this wartime recipe ❤

[@BackyardChef]

Sounds great! I agree. Loved the potato pastry. I see all sorts of uses for it. Healthier than all flour too! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Sine-gl9ly]

I remember Woolton Pie, or variations thereof. My mother and aunts would use saved-up bacon grease to fry off whatever veggies went into the pie - it gave a bit of a meaty flavour. My dad was a keen allotmenteer, so there were always lots of veggies! I have made potato pastry in the past, using cornflour, as I was experimenting for the parents of a little boy who was celiac, in the days before much, at all, was available gluten-free. I did eventually come up with a respectable pastry, and also a bread-ish type dough which baked into something a bit like a rather heavy soda bread. It was a long time ago and I can't remember the details.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@hansdampf4055]

A beautiful dish with an interesting history. Thanks for showing! I would like to use this dish to commemorate an important English pioneer in feeding the poor, who was immortalized here in Bavaria in a dish of his name. I quote from wikipedia:Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford (26 March 1753 †- 21 August 1814) was a British military officer, politician, experimental physicist, weapons engineer and inventor. He played a significant role in the further development of thermodynamics. Rumford soup or Rumford soup is an inexpensive nutritious soup based on pearl barley and dried peas. Benjamin Thompson, Imperial Count of Rumford, invented it in 1795 for the soldiers of the army of his employer, the Bavarian Elector Karl Theodor von der Pfalz, and for the arrested beggars and unemployed in his military workhouse in the Münchener Au, in order to provide them with frugal but nutritious food. Rumford soup is the best known and most important soup in soup kitchens. As early as 1798, it was taken over in Hamburg and Count Rumford was named after him in his honour. In the 19th century, the cooking and serving places of Rumford soup were also called the Rumford soup house in honor. In 1802, the inventor of Rumford soup was assured of a place among the most distinguished benefactors of mankind in Prague. 👍👍

[@BackyardChef]

Now there is a good recipe! I have all the ingredient here now to make the soup or my version of it. Thanks you for sharing. Best, Rik

[@hansdampf4055]

@@BackyardChef Always with pleasure!

[@AvaT42]

I like the look of the potato pastry it browned better. It also looks soft and moister. I will try this pie.

[@BackyardChef]

Agreed! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@dorothycullen7689]

Love watching you cook these forgotten dishes xxx

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you very much. I love your comment. Best, Rik

[@132allie]

I have never heard of tried mashed potato pastry. Another thing to try!

[@BackyardChef]

Its amazing! Best, Rik

[@russellgibbon8621]

I salivated watching this . . . and will be making it soon. Thank you!

[@BackyardChef]

Hope you enjoy. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@mrdangiles90]

Fantastic😋 sadly their pies probably didn't have as much filling inside those people were hard as nails back then and had it hard. Great job mate!

[@BackyardChef]

You are right! Thanks, Dan. I take my hat off to them. Best, Rik

[@Kansasgirl922]

I am so glad I found you! Love all your potato recipes I’ve seen! I’m American but I have English heritage. I love potatoes! They’re flipping amazing!! ❤😂

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. I'm pleased you have found me. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@alexplane5359]

Bet it smelt the business when it was cooking. I have used that mash potato pastry but it was for a pizza base I found in an old cook book. Worked a treat. Definitely going to try as a pie topping. Brilliant rik as usual 👌

[@BackyardChef]

Oh wow! Thank you. Yes the smell was amazing in the kitchen worth the effort of making both. The potato is my favourite. Got many ideas for that. Best, Rik

[@budgieboy52]

Hi, Rik. I remember the oat one when I was growing up in the 50's, always liked it although as you say a little dry on its own, but with the veg, lovely. We sometimes had it with a little meat in it, lucky us.Never tried the potato pastry but from what you have shown maybe it is something to have a go at. Cheers.

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. It is worth a go. I will be using it for recipes. They were all popping out of my head whilst I as tasting! Best, Rik

[@LilyoftheValeyrising]

Looks great!!!!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@MA-bt8il]

Stumbled over you in the past month, and I just love your heart and your style of communicating. Can't wait to try this. :) Thank you so much! Blessings!

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@amandah4834]

That was very interesting Rik thank you and the pies both looked great , you can’t beat a pie 👌Amanda xx

[@BackyardChef]

Glad you enjoyed it. Nice to know how they all cooked back there, fascinating to me. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@gwenstone8171]

I was a child during WW2 and you ate whatever was put in front of you. Woolton pie was a good meal and we refused nothing. Potato pastry was good. All this shilly-shallying today to please children’s fussy preferences and the essential snacks needed make me wonder how we survived.🙄

[@BackyardChef]

Agreed! Thank you for sharing, Best, Rik

[@Ann-nv5sm]

I was a child too Gwen, and as you say we ate what was put in front of us & if we didn’t it was there at the next meal time, that only happened once! I brought my children up the same , but my grandchildren are so fussy 🤷‍♀️ I don’t understand it .

[@stemuhl]

The mashed potatoe pastry looks, Banging. I'm going to have to try this. Ric you said it was like suet pastry, which I love. My wife loves veg. This would be right up her Street. Thanks again Ric, for a great recipe, and amazing presentation 👍

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@Bessie66]

What an absolute interesting video - Thankyou ❤

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@angiedeans6410]

Potato and flour make pasta and are gnochi, which is really nice. So, I vote for the potato crust.

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for voting. I agree. Best, Rik

[@PatrickPenn-zc4hi]

Being a born and bred Liverpudlian, I never knew the Woolton area of Liverpool had a pie named after it. Thanks for the history lesson Rik. Woolton by the way Is a lovely area of Liverpool.

[@BackyardChef]

Yes I agree! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@fionahaigh708]

Very interesting pastry recipes, I am keen to make these and compare. Really like that you share the history and background to the dishes you feature. Thanks Rik

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Its nice to know what has influenced the dishes of today. Best, Rik

[@neiltonks4627]

That pie looks good. I might try it! Seeing you chopping celery reminds me of a wartime story. My grandad grew vegetables as many people did then, to eke out the rations. He grew some celery and, being a butcher, used pigs blood to fertilise it (it’s a good source of nitrogen compounds which plants require). They grew well but when the time came to eat them, he mentioned to my grandma and mum, who was a small child at the time, what he’d done to make them grow. They promptly refused to eat them! In the end he had to give them away to less-squeamish neighbours. He never used pigs blood to fertilise vegetables again; at least, that’s what he told his wife and daughter 😉

[@BackyardChef]

Ha ha ha, love it. Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@billchristopher8892]

Definitely going to have to try this love watching your videos hello from California USA

[@BackyardChef]

Hope you enjoy. Thank you. Love to California. Best, Rik

[@garyjohnson9297]

That looks very innovative, and frugal as well as filling and nutritious . You could include beet root, , squash , zukini, green beans , and egg plant You probably know this , but if you wet a tea towel and wring it out and lay it on the marble counter , then lay your pastry board on it , it won't move as easily

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@johnhankinson1929]

Me mam said i was the nicest thing to come out of the war ha , ha , great video again Rick

[@BackyardChef]

Thanks for sharing. Best, Rik

[@Shazzarazza848]

Omg I could see straight away!! The mash potatoe crust was the one!! Who would of thuncked it but! :D I'm so gonna do the mash crust but with mince in the filling mmmmm 😋😋😜 thank you 🙏🤗

[@BackyardChef]

Yes, it is very good. Sounds like you have a plan. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@elsagispin2231]

You great on recipe super natural style on your cooking with lesson to all my ingredients it's fun to save on ingredients.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik

[@suewarner1781]

Looks delicious, I will definitely make this. Thank You!

[@BackyardChef]

Hope you enjoy. Thank you. Best, Rik

[@shirleyal-jabi1503]

Could add flakes of fish, chicken or lentils and such. Nice video thanks

[@BackyardChef]

Yes you can! Thank you. Best, Rik

[@ThePurplesquish]

Thanks, Rick! Another amazing recipe to try. I've a brisket joint in the fridge, ready to cut up for a meat and potato pie, so I might try the potato pastry on that.

[@BackyardChef]

Oh Yes! spot on good idea. Best, Rik

[@dd7521]

The mashed spud pastry looked very good indeed. Another cracking recipe, thank you.

[@BackyardChef]

Thank you. Best, Rik