loose potato pie

hedman2003 · 03-04-2011, 08:52

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

jaysay · 03-04-2011, 09:05

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

Bob Dobson · 03-04-2011, 09:22

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.

Barrie Yates · 03-04-2011, 09:23

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"

Barrie Yates · 03-04-2011, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedman2003

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

"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.

Bob Dobson · 03-04-2011, 09:37

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

flashy · 03-04-2011, 09:43

T cakes, buns, baps, barms

Benipete · 03-04-2011, 10:08

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.

cashman · 03-04-2011, 10:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

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.

yeh probably still can fer a fiver.

hedman2003 · 03-04-2011, 10:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

yeh probably still can fer a fiver.

and change for the bus home!!

jaysay · 03-04-2011, 10:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

yeh probably still can fer a fiver.

Ya was a rare treat in Thoud Bank where the ladies had a price on the soles of their shoes

prata pie was extra

DaveinGermany · 03-04-2011, 14:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by hedman2003

Is scouse the same as 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)

Margaret Pilkington · 03-04-2011, 18:37

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.

emily90 · 07-04-2011, 21:33

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

garinda · 07-04-2011, 22:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

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"

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.