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Fidget pie

By: Cherie Denham

Published: 21 Dec 23
Updated: 25 Mar 24

If you’re looking for a hearty, comforting recipe for winter that won’t cost a bomb, this pie is pretty brilliant. Filled with potatoes and bacon and flavoured with onions and apple, it has an interesting history, too. It’s inspired by a traditional dish described in a collection of British recipes compiled by little-known food writer Florence White, published in 1932.

Food writer Sue Quinn, who is researching White’s life story, says: “This is adapted from a recipe in Good Things In England entitled ‘Mrs Dale’s Fidget Pie’. It’s old-fashioned, simple and one of my family’s favourite pies.”

Easy
January 2024

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 30 min, oven time 30-35 min

Freezable

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 734kcals
Fat: 32g (15g saturated)
Protein: 36g
Carbohydrates: 72g (17g sugars)
Fibre: 7.7g
Salt: 4.3g

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Ingredients

20g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
750g waxy potatoes (such as charlotte)
1 tbsp vegetable or other neutral oil, plus a splash
300g smoked bacon rashers, ideally thick-cut, roughly chopped
2 large onions, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 large eating apple
1 tsp dried oregano
1½ tbsp plain flour
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
320g sheet puff pastry

Specialist kit

A small oven dish (about 20cm x 10cm x 6cm deep)

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Method

Butter the baking dish and heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas 6. Pour the stock into a large saucepan. Peel and cut the potatoes into 0.5cm slices, adding them to the stock as you go. When you’re finished, the stock should almost cover the potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, put a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the splash of oil. Cook the bacon until starting to crisp at the edges, then transfer to a bowl. Heat the 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in the same pan and fry the onions for about 10 minutes, or until soft and golden. Add a splash of water if they start to stick.
Add the garlic, fry for a few more minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.

Peel, core, quarter and finely slice the apple, then stir into the onions. Add the oregano, then put the pan back over a medium heat and fry for 3 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the flour, cook for another minute, then season with salt and pepper. Spoon half the onion mixture into the prepared dish, spreading it evenly over the base. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half the potatoes from the saucepan and arrange them over the top, then evenly scatter over half the bacon pieces. Repeat with the remaining onion mixture, potatoes and bacon, then pour over the stock left in the saucepan.
Brush the rim of the baking dish with egg, then cover with the pastry sheet and press it gently onto the rim. Trim away any excess, brush the top with egg and cut 2 small slits in the middle. Crimp around the outside with a fork. Bake for 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden.