loose potato pie
 

For the past 4 years I've worked in Preston and the other day mentioned loose potato pie - to blank stares and puzzled expressions.

The team I work with are predominantly from the Preston /Chorley area but even 2 people who live in Darwen and Guide had never heard of it.

We then got into a discussion that a pie was only a pie if encased in pastry although Shepherds Pie, Cottage pie and Fish Pie would seem to buck this theory

People then claimed loose potato pie is hotpot although I would argue potato pie is made with beef and hotpot with lamb

Is scouse the same as loose potato pie?

What do these people eat when they go to a "do" if spud pie is not available!!!

Similarly dabs appears to be a very localised name for potato in batter with them being known as Scollops out Preston way and "Muffins" in Edenfield area

anybody else aware of name of food variations

Re: loose potato pie
 

Loose potato pie, ya never heard of it, prata pie as its better known, there used to be a pie shop in ossy called Jimmy Stivves pie shop, had a cafe as well, went in many a lunchtime and order 8 a loose, that was 8 penath of prata pie. Basically its potato pie made in a great big dish without crust, used to make crust separately, good stuff. That old saying they don't make um like they used too certainly applies here:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

This is a very complicated area for study. There are both geographical and family differences in names for the same, or similar products.

Before I came to the Fylde, I knew there were muffins and teacakes.Some of the latter had currants in.A muffin might also have been an over-bottomer. Arriving here, I heard of baps. There's also rolls, which are a diferent shape to teacakes/baps. This thread will go on and on.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Annie's Cafe in the Arcade sells "loose potato pie" almost every day - always seems to be on the menu when I get my "bacon on toasted currant teacakes"

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"Loose potato pie", or "Stewed potatos", was traditionally a Monday dish, easy to make on a busy day which was normally "Wash Day" and the remains of the Sunday joint was used up whether it was beef or lamb.

Re: loose potato pie
 

I've just remembered another Fylde word for them - barm cakes.

Re: loose potato pie
 

T cakes, buns, baps, barms

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In Blackburn in the 60's you could get a pint a potato pie and a woman for thirty bob only complaint was----Not much meat int' potato pie.:hehetable

Re: loose potato pie
 

yeh probably still can fer a fiver.:D

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and change for the bus home!!

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Ya was a rare treat in Thoud Bank where the ladies had a price on the soles of their shoes:D:D prata pie was extra

Re: loose potato pie
 

No Hedman, Scouse is a stew believed to have it's ancestry in the Scandinavian Labskause a traditional dish of mariners, so more akin to hotpot than potato pie. Mainly made of Beef & Veg but other meat can be used, dependent on budget. :)


The Original Scouse Recipe (aka LOBSCOUSE or LABSKAUSE)

Re: loose potato pie
 

And blind scouse is scouse without any meat......a stew of just veg and barley........if you got that you knew that the state was in a bad country(i.e. you were really poor).

My potato pie has a top crust, and is usually made with corned beef......if it has no crust it is tater hash.

Re: loose potato pie
 

i mentioned loose potato pie to a friend from prestwich earlier - she's never heard of it! i also had to explain what broth was the other month :confused:

Re: loose potato pie
 

I've had loose potato pie in there, served with no crust, because they'd 'run out'.

Therefore it wasn't loose spud pie at all, but a plate full of stew.

Loose potato pie is cooked with a pastry lid, which is then cut up and served with the filling, therefore it's a pie.

Fish, cottage, shepherd's pies are all cooked with lids, which happen to be mashed potato rather than a pastry.

A pie is anything cooked, or baked, with an edible lid.

Master Bun.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Some people make their loose spud pie so wet, it is like a stew with a crust on.

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That's how my gran made hers ... every tuesday. The underside of the crust was to die for.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Anybody have steak pudding made in't rag, used to love it when I was a kid, never taske anything like it these days:mosher:

Re: loose potato pie
 

yep funnily enough first time i had it was when i lived in Spain.:eek: a friend i got to know had it on t menu, its rather splendid.:)

Re: loose potato pie
 

Never had it for years now cashy, infact just talking about it is making my mouth water:)

Re: loose potato pie
 

yes i have had them when i was a little boy at my gran she made all kind of things like that and it was good too

Re: loose potato pie
 

Clayton Street chippy (in Harrod) has new owners now and they have a rag pudding on their menu - apparantly its amazing and I did hear claim that if you didnt like it, u could return it! Dont quote me on that bit tho! :)

This chippy and its "Clacky Diner" remains Harrod's TOP chippy! (IMO)

Re: loose potato pie
 

Also, I recently had FABULOUS loose potato pie with gravy on top, from that little bakery near Wilko's and opposite that cash converters shop in Accy :)

Re: loose potato pie
 

Lol, at return the pudding if you don't like it.

How long do they give you to decide?

Can you retch it back up, or even wait until it comes out the other end, before taking it back, as unliked?

I might pop down and try my luck.

:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

Gobbiners Cafe in Ossy make loose potato pie for their outside catering. It consists of potatoes, steak, onions and carrots with a pastry on the top.

Scouse was, but will have changed a bit now, all the leftovers bunged in big pan and left to "gain flavour". It was stirred around bringing the bottom to the top, and continually added to. The scouse pan was rarely empty, being topped up every day.

Re: loose potato pie
 

I went to a chippy in blackpool once called heskeths they knew exactly wat loose pot pie was an exactly how to make it, damn good grub
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Re: loose potato pie
 

Heskeths was well known for good grub, just wondering if its still there:confused:

Re: loose potato pie
 

LOL, its rather splendid, I love that Mr Cashman.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Yeah -fab! My Nanny used to make great steak puddings...they used to do a really good (and Massive!) one at The Swan with Two Necks in Pendleton too. I'm going back about 30 years before it was "done up" and they got rid of the stuffed bear!:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

I used to work for a caterer up in Ossy (Jean Hurn) from the age of 16-18 - serving up buffets and Loose potato pie at various local "dos" round the Accy area - the pastry was always cut up and served separately, on the side. It was always eaten with pickled red cabbage or beetroot. A great favourite especially with the older clients -Darby and Joan club etc!!:D (I always used to get great tips, especially if i had a dance with a few of the old chaps;))

Re: loose potato pie
 

Still going Strong mobertol, they even used to do a lot of catering for HBC but I think they've lost the contract now:rolleyes: :D

Re: loose potato pie
 

Jean and Terry have a catering establishment on Nuttall Street in Accrington....and also a place on Wellington Street........I think this is where most of the work involved in the outside catering takes place.
Terry was an ambulanceman for many years......and I came into contact with him regularly. I found him to be a thoroughly likeable chap. The patients liked him too(especially the old ladies - he made a big fuss of them).

Re: loose potato pie
 

Ya Margaret Terry picked me up too on a few occasions, mind you I've never really come across anybody in this profession that isn't first class

Re: loose potato pie
 

Glad to hear news of Jean and Terry -will pass it on to my mum too who used to teach their kids -that's how I got the job with them through her knowing them...
They were both really hard workers ,Terry did most of the deliveries and used to take me to the various events. My sister Denise worked for them too as they were always busy. They also did my wedding buffet!

Re: loose potato pie
 

Back on thread -the potato pie was made "loose" so the pastry didn't go soggy!

Re: loose potato pie
 

Ok fellow Accy webbers - feels like I'm doing missionary work with those from outside our wonderful area following more blank expressions of "whats looose potatoe pie"

So at some stage i'm going to treat my work colleagues to said potatoe pie made by me

Now the problem I've sampled loads of them at many functions since my childhood but never made one so does anyone have a recepie thats a bit more than peel spuds add beef and water and cook?

Your advice would be much appreciated

Re: loose potato pie
 

Yep, I've always understood, like several other posters, loose potato pie to be meat and potatoes cooked in quantity then covered with a pastry lid which when cooked was cut up and served separately along with beetroot and/or red cabbage. That is as opposed to an individual potato pie which to me always has too much crust. I've never heard the term elsewhere than Accy.

My mum, who was a good cook and although a southerner very good at Northern recipes, used to make hers in a mixing bowl, one of the big yellow ones, and the pastry was always very slightly soggy underneath, which I liked. Mind you, her pastry was to die for anyway!

If you need a recipe for such a thing this might do:

How To Make Meat And Potato Pie Recipe (Savoury Pies)

I see they add carrots to the meat which you might not want to do.

Funnily enough we're having stewed potatoes tonight - but made with bacon rather than left over meat.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Just eaten them - and boy were they good... Potatoes carrots onion leek and bacon - so simple yet so tasty - with some pickled beetroot on the side.

Re: loose potato pie
 

A few months ago I was in Clitheroe one lunch-time on my way to a meeting at Ribble Valley Council Offices. Sometimes I call into a shop just down the street which sells barbecued chicken, pies, sandwiches, etc. While they were making up my chicken sandwich I said, "Have you got a jellied pie?" Silence - no-one answered, neither shop assistants nor customers. I repeated my question and just got strange looks, like I was an alien landed from another planet! I commented to friends afterwards, "Does civilisation does not extend as far as Clitheroe?" I'm sure Martin's Bakers and Hurn's Confectioners both know full well what a jellied pie is!

Re: loose potato pie
 

[QUOTE=jaysay;897077]Anybody have steak pudding made in't rag, used to love it when I was a kid, never taske anything like it these days:mosher:[My mum used to nake it with /QUOTE]

My Mum used to make a steak and Kydney pudding with the pastry made with suet the reult was something to die for.

She also cooked her potato pie and after it was nearly cooked put a pastry crust on the top.

With the remaining cust (made with a touch of salt in it) she made "Sad" Cake or Poor Mans Cake, very nice with butter.

Re: loose potato pie
 

[QUOTE=keith higson;1041186]Our two houses seem very similar when we were growing up Keith, potato pie in a dish with crust on, on top of steak pudding sad cake, bet you had Broth with a sprig of time and little lads in two (dumplings) the good old days:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

John....I think most houses were very similar.......I used to get sent for a broth posy to the market and I woult throw the Thyme into the long grass on the way home.....I hated it(and still do)....Ma used to tell me not to buy the broth posy unless it had a sprig of Thyme in it.......it is only recently that i confessed. I would have got my legs slapped.....except I can run faster than Ma can hobble:).

We used to have Sea Pie too........his was a stew of any vegetables, scraps of meat(sometimes neck of lamb,rabbit, boiling fowl, or bacon bits) cooked in a huge pan and a suet crust put on top just about 15-20 minutes before it was due to be served....the lid was put on the pan and the crust steamed to perfection.
I once asked why it was called 'Sea Pie' because it seemed like it had nothing at all to do with the sea....apparently they did it like this on ships to stop the stew from slopping out of the pan in rough seas.....I don't know how true this is...but it stuck in my mind.
Good honest, stick to your ribs grub....it was what kept us going.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Oh Margaret - thyme is my favourite herb - takes me right back to those broth posies...

And all-in stews - cow heel anyone?

Re: loose potato pie
 

Sue, it has to go with my list of foods created by the devil.......celery, oregano,basil, tripe, haggis, liver, kidney(strangely, I like the flavour in the gravy, but pick the pieces of kidney out of a dish and give them to himself - he loves it) tongue.......oh I could write a long list....but thyme and celery would be close to the top.

Re: loose potato pie
 

The only food I will categorically not eat is tuna and that's because I was force fed it in lodgings years ago when I was doing my first job. Cucumber, iceberg lettuce and uncooked apples disagree with me - too cold in the stomach, just like drinking a glass of water, peppers I love but they don't like me, and and at the moment I'm not allowed sweetcorn, nuts or mushrooms which is a shame cos I love mushrooms - a fry up's not the same without them! Anything else is fair game - sometimes literally! I may not like it but I'll give it a go.

Re: loose potato pie
 

I went to King's Canyon In the red centre........oh it must be ten years ago now and was persuaded to try Kangaroo meat.......it was horrible. A good vet with an electric probe could have got it jumping off my plate......it had only been shown a hot pan(and that was only a fleeting glance).
I passed my portion to himself(who ate it) and spat what I had in my mouth into a tissue.
From then on I stuck to what I know I like to eat.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Had Kangaroo & Ostrich (allegedly :D) at the local Mongolian stir fried with various veggies, quite enjoyed them.

Even had a Roo Burger from the Australian "Fosters" stand in the international village during the "Kieler Woche" some years back, enjoyed that too. (think the copious amounts of alcohol imbibed may also have helped :D)

Re: loose potato pie
 

I had a Crocodile pie somewhere in Oz........but it was farmed croc....fed on chicken and the pie could have passed for chicken...in fact I think I was told it was chicken or I may never have touched it.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Wasn't there a meat called 'scrag end' used in stews and things? What on earth was it?

Re: loose potato pie
 

Lamb neck basically Gordon, bony and takes a lot of cooking but tasty.

Re: loose potato pie
 

Just looked through your list Margaret and I love everything you dislike, especially Tripe (uncooked that is with salt and vinegar) Haggis, bring it on, kidly, lubly jubly celery could eat a full one myself, with plenty of salt. :D

Re: loose potato pie
 

If you saw how the slaughter pigs to produce bacon you'd never eat another rasher in your life Margaret, I once worked at Tommy Walls at Goodly and went on a tour of the food processing plant, I tell you it put me off my fry up the morning after:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

I once asked for a crocodile sandwich and told the waiter to make it snappy:rolleyes::D

Re: loose potato pie
 

Exactly my thoughts John, only thing about celery is you can't taste anything else afterwards for ages it's got such a strong flavour, good thing though it's reputed to use more calories to digest than it contains so doesn't make you gain weight!

Re: loose potato pie
 

It would take a lot to make me do without bacon...although I don't have it very often........and I like it streaky and crisp.

Re: loose potato pie
 

I can think of a few veggies I'd love to eat, how come if they are coming to your house for a meal, you bend over backwards to have something for them to eat, (though the wife almost ruined the evening by asking, "do you want gravy with that?").

However you turn up to their place and it's, 'nut cutlet or nothing', no chance of a juicy rare steak!

However thanks to the missus, I was prepared, took the nut cutlet and asked, "have you any gravy?"
:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

Believe me it was horrendous watching how they slaughter pigs Margaret, they stun them with an electric prong then hoist them up by their feet then slit the poor little sods throat, while it squeels, no wonder the old say was squeel like a pig, and do they squeel:eek:

Re: loose potato pie
 

That's why we pay slaughtermen and butchers to ease our concienses, I've never heard a pig squeal on a butchers slab and will continue to pay that little extra for his services.

Re: loose potato pie
 

I know John, I used to go to the slaughterhouse with my brothers....and my daughter worked for Slingers at Wood street and she had to go and watch the kills of animals.....so despite this I still eat meat.

Re: loose potato pie
 

when i make broth i always stick the thyme in and a couple of sticks of celery .. mum always did ...

Re: loose potato pie
 

Jaysay, Eating tripe cold is the only way to have it.. Tripe is cooked (or dresssed) before you get it from the shop), therefore why would anyone re-cook it again prior to eating it, after all would you re-cook eggs/bacon, steak or anything else after it had been cooked.

What about "Elder" delicious on bread, then any offal is good for you at least it cleans you out.

Re: loose potato pie
 

When I said uncooked Keith I meant, more like sat on the wall in Church Street, eating it out of a newspaper kind of things not Tripe and onions done in the oven:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

Hurn's confectioners is still going on Nuttall Street. You can book outside catering for a party, either pie and peas or a choice of buffets. Terry has been a Hyndburn Borough Councillor for the Baxenden Ward since November 2010. When we were going round canvassing I used to ask people if they knew of Mr. Hurn, the local confectioner. People sometimes replied, "Well, if he's as good as his pies I'll vote for him!"

Re: loose potato pie
 

Count me in for the cow heel.:D

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Tripe cold is great, especially with malt vinegar ... but my gran used to heat it gently with milk and onions:theband: She was also a whiz with sheep's brain.

Elder I used to like a lot ... udderly delicious.:D

Re: loose potato pie
 

You always remind me of Desperate Dan Eric, how would you like your steak sir, just take the horns of and wipe its arse:D