Woolton pie
Encyclopedia
Woolton pie, at first known as Lord Woolton pie, was an adaptable dish of vegetable
s, created at the Savoy Hotel
in London by its then Maitre Chef de Cuisine, Francis Latry. It was one of a number of recipes commended to the British public by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War to enable a nutritional diet to be maintained despite shortages and rationing
of many types of food, especially meat.
It was named after Frederick Marquis, 1st Lord Woolton (1883–1964), who became Minister of Food in 1940.
The recipe involved dicing and cooking potatoes (or parsnips), cauliflower
, swede
, carrots and, possibly, turnip
. Rolled oats
and chopped spring onions were added to the thickened vegetable water which was poured over the vegetables themselves. The dish was topped with potato pastry
and grated cheese
and served with vegetable gravy
. The recipe could be adapted to reflect the availability and seasonality of ingredients.
Woolton pie, entirely lacking meat, was not universally well received. An editorial in The Times commented:
Professor John Fuller has noted that Woolton pie and similar wartime austerity dishes "were forgotten as quickly as possible when conditions returned to normal".
The recipe for Woolton pie has been published on a number of occasions since the war, notably in collections to mark significant anniversaries (e.g. Marguerite Patten
(1985) We'll Eat Again, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe).
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s, created at the Savoy Hotel
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
in London by its then Maitre Chef de Cuisine, Francis Latry. It was one of a number of recipes commended to the British public by the Ministry of Food during the Second World War to enable a nutritional diet to be maintained despite shortages and rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
of many types of food, especially meat.
It was named after Frederick Marquis, 1st Lord Woolton (1883–1964), who became Minister of Food in 1940.
The recipe involved dicing and cooking potatoes (or parsnips), cauliflower
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed...
, swede
Rutabaga
The rutabaga, swede , turnip or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip; see Triangle of U...
, carrots and, possibly, turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
. Rolled oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
and chopped spring onions were added to the thickened vegetable water which was poured over the vegetables themselves. The dish was topped with potato pastry
Pastry
Pastry is the name given to various kinds of baked products made from ingredients such as flour, sugar, milk, butter, shortening, baking powder and/or eggs. Small cakes, tarts and other sweet baked products are called "pastries."...
and grated cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
and served with vegetable gravy
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking. In North America the term can refer to a wider variety of sauces and gravy is often thicker than in Britain...
. The recipe could be adapted to reflect the availability and seasonality of ingredients.
Woolton pie, entirely lacking meat, was not universally well received. An editorial in The Times commented:
When Woolton pie was being forced on somewhat reluctant tables, Lord Woolton performed a valuable service by submitting to the flashlight camera at public luncheons while eating, with every sign of enjoyment, the dish named after him.
Professor John Fuller has noted that Woolton pie and similar wartime austerity dishes "were forgotten as quickly as possible when conditions returned to normal".
The recipe for Woolton pie has been published on a number of occasions since the war, notably in collections to mark significant anniversaries (e.g. Marguerite Patten
Marguerite Patten
Hilda Elsie Marguerite Patten, CBE , née Brown, is an English home economist, food writer and broadcaster.- Early life and career :...
(1985) We'll Eat Again, marking the 40th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe).
External links
- Woolton Pie (includes original recipe from The Times)