Hairy Bikers Homity Pie​ Recipe

This creamy homity pie recipe is made with waxy potatoes, carrots, turnips, tender broccoli florets, mature Cheddar, and a rustic wholemeal pastry crust. From the Hairy Bikers’ British Classics cookbook, this vegetarian pie wraps root vegetables in a mustardy cream sauce with golden melted cheese. Ready in about an hour, it serves 4 to 6 generous slices.

I make this every time the weather turns cold and the fridge is full of root veg that needs using up. It never lasts more than a day in our house.

Homity Pie Ingredients

For the Pastry:

• 125g plain flour
• 125g wholemeal flour
• 150g cold butter, diced
• 1 free-range egg, beaten

For the Filling:

• 400g waxy potatoes, diced
• 300g carrots, diced
• 50g turnips, diced
• 200g small broccoli florets
• 15g butter
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 175g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 50ml milk or water
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 200ml double cream
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Homity Pie

1. Blend the pastry: Pulse both flours, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until crumb-like. Add the egg and just enough cold water for the dough to come together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Par-boil the vegetables: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and turnips, then cook for 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes more until just tender. Drain and cool.
3. Soften the onions and garlic: Melt butter in a frying pan, add onions with a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and lightly golden. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool.
4. Build the filling: In a bowl, combine cooled vegetables, onions, 100g of the Cheddar, and the parsley. Mix gently and season lightly.
5. Line the tin: Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Line a 20cm deep pie dish or cake tin, pressing it into the edges. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the pastry case.
6. Add the cream mixture: Whisk the milk with the mustard until smooth, then stir into the cream. Season lightly and pour slowly over the filling. Scatter the remaining Cheddar on top.
7. Bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the cheese is golden. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

What Makes This Homity Pie So Good?

• Chill the pastry properly: Cold butter creates flaky layers, so keep the dough in the fridge until you are ready to roll it out.
• Par-boil, do not fully cook: Slightly underdone vegetables stay intact and finish cooking inside the pie. This prevents a mushy filling.
• Cool the filling before assembling: Hot vegetables can melt the butter in the pastry and cause a soggy base. Let everything cool before spooning it into the tin.
• Dijon mustard sharpens the cheese: A teaspoon of Dijon mixed into the cream cuts through the richness and lifts the Cheddar flavour. For another cheesy pie with a different twist, try the Hairy Bikers Cheese Potato Pie.
• Rest before slicing: Ten minutes of resting after baking lets the cream filling set, giving you cleaner slices every time.

What Should You Serve on the Side?

A crisp green salad with a sharp vinaigrette is the simplest side against the rich, creamy filling. Butter-steamed peas or pickled red cabbage also add a welcome contrast.

For something heartier, try roasted root vegetables or a bowl of the Hairy Bikers Leek and Potato Soup. Cold leftover slices also make a brilliant picnic option with chutney and crusty bread.

Does This Reheat Well?

It reheats beautifully. Cool the pie completely, cover, and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Warm slices at 180°C (160°C Fan) for about 20 minutes until heated through.

You can also freeze the pie whole or in slices, wrapped tightly, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating until piping hot.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving size: 1 slice (1/6 pie)
• Calories: 490 kcal
• Fat: 29g
• Saturated: 17g
• Carbs: 44g
• Protein: 16g
• Dietary Fibre: 5g
• Sodium: 450mg

Frequently Asked Questions

What is homity pie and where does it come from? Homity pie is a traditional British vegetable and cheese pie that dates back to the Second World War. It became popular through the Cranks vegetarian restaurant in the 1960s and has stayed a British classic ever since.

How does the Hairy Bikers’ homity pie compare to Mary Berry’s? The Hairy Bikers use wholemeal pastry with carrots, turnips, and broccoli alongside the potatoes. Mary Berry’s version is more traditional with a plain shortcrust and a simpler potato, onion, and cheese filling without the extra root vegetables.

Can I make homity pie without pastry? Yes. Skip the pastry and pour the creamy vegetable filling into a greased ovenproof dish. Top with extra cheese and bake at the same temperature until golden and bubbling.

Can I make this pie ahead of time? You can assemble the pie up to a day in advance. Keep it covered in the fridge and add about 10 minutes to the baking time since it will be going into the oven cold.

What other vegetarian pies do the Hairy Bikers make? They also have a Cheese and Onion Pie and a Chestnut and Mushroom Pie, both great meat-free options for a filling supper.

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Cheese and Onion Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Chestnut and Mushroom Pie Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Cheese Potato Pie Recipe

Hairy Bikers Homity Pie Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:British Courses:Hairy Bikers Main Courses

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories: kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

This creamy homity pie recipe wraps waxy potatoes, carrots, turnips, and broccoli in a mustardy Cheddar cream sauce inside wholemeal pastry. A comforting British vegetarian classic from the Hairy Bikers’ British Classics cookbook.

Ingredients

For the Pastry:

• 125g plain flour
  
• 125g wholemeal flour
  
• 150g cold butter, diced
  
• 1 free-range egg, beaten

For the Filling:

• 400g waxy potatoes, diced
  
• 300g carrots, diced
  
• 50g turnips, diced
  
• 200g small broccoli florets
  
• 15g butter
  
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  
• 175g mature Cheddar, coarsely grated
  
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  
• 50ml milk or water
  
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  
• 200ml double cream
  
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Blend the pastry: Pulse both flours, butter, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until crumb-like. Add the egg and just enough cold water for the dough to come together. Shape into a ball, wrap in cling film, and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Par-boil the vegetables: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, carrots, and turnips, then cook for 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes more until just tender. Drain and cool.
3. Soften the onions and garlic: Melt butter in a frying pan, add onions with a pinch of salt, and cook until soft and lightly golden. Stir in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat to cool.
4. Build the filling: In a bowl, combine cooled vegetables, onions, 100g of the Cheddar, and the parsley. Mix gently and season lightly.
5. Line the tin: Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Line a 20cm deep pie dish or cake tin, pressing it into the edges. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the pastry case.
6. Add the cream mixture: Whisk the milk with the mustard until smooth, then stir into the cream. Season lightly and pour slowly over the filling. Scatter the remaining Cheddar on top.
7. Bake: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the cheese is golden. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing.