Mary Berry Homity Pie Recipe

Mary Berry Homity Pie is a classic British vegetarian pie made with a buttery pastry crust and a rich filling of potatoes, onions, cheese, and leeks. The filling is creamy, hearty, and packed with comforting flavors, while the golden pastry adds a delicious crisp texture. This recipe is easy enough for beginner cooks and makes a wonderful family dinner or lunch. The total time is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 125g cold butter, diced
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

For the Filling

• 450g potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 leek, sliced
• 25g butter
• 150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• 100ml double cream
• 1 teaspoon English mustard
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For Finishing

• 1 beaten egg for glazing
• Extra grated Cheddar cheese for topping

How to Make Mary Berry Homity Pie Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the pie cooks evenly and develops a golden finish.
• Make the pastry: Place the flour into a large bowl and rub in the cold butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to bring the dough together. Wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
• Cook the potatoes: Boil the diced potatoes in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
• Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the onion and leek and cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and sweet.
• Mix the filling: Combine the potatoes, cooked onion, leek, 100g of the grated cheese, cream, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir gently until evenly mixed.
• Line the dish: Roll out the chilled pastry and use it to line a 23cm pie dish. Trim any excess pastry.
• Fill the pie: Spoon the potato mixture into the pastry case and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
• Bake: Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden and the cheese is bubbling.
• Cool and serve: Leave the pie to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.

Tips for the Best Homity Pie

How do I stop the pastry from becoming soggy?

Make sure the potatoes are thoroughly drained and allow them to steam dry before mixing with the filling.

Can I make the pastry ahead of time?

Yes. The pastry can be made up to two days in advance and kept chilled in the refrigerator.

What cheese works best in Homity Pie?

Mature Cheddar gives the strongest flavor, but Red Leicester or Gruyère also work well.

How do I get a crisp golden crust?

Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg and bake on the middle shelf until deeply golden.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with a crisp green salad.
• Pair with steamed seasonal vegetables.
• Enjoy with baked beans for a traditional British meal.
• Serve alongside pickles or chutney.
• Add roasted tomatoes for extra flavor.

Storage

Room Temperature

Allow the pie to cool for no longer than 2 hours before storing.

Refrigerator

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Freezing

Wrap individual portions well and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Protein: 12g
• Fat: 26g
• Saturated Fat: 15g
• Sodium: 520mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Homity Pie Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: Main CourseCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Total time

90

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

1

hour 

15

minutes

A traditional British vegetarian pie with buttery pastry, tender potatoes, onions, leeks, and mature Cheddar cheese baked until golden and delicious.

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour

• 125g cold butter, diced

• 3-4 tbsp cold water

• 450g potatoes, peeled and diced

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 1 leek, sliced

• 25g butter

• 150g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

• 100ml double cream

• 1 tsp English mustard

• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 egg, beaten for glazing

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
• Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then add cold water and form a dough.
• Chill the pastry for 20 minutes.
• Boil the potatoes for 10 minutes until just tender, then drain.
• Cook the onion and leek in butter until softened.
• Mix potatoes, vegetables, cheese, cream, mustard, seasoning and half the cheese.
• Roll out pastry and line a 23cm pie dish.
• Fill with mixture and top with remaining cheese.
• Brush pastry edges with beaten egg and bake for 35-40 minutes until golden.

Notes

• Use mature Cheddar for the best flavor.
• Allow the pie to rest before slicing.
• Serve warm with salad or vegetables.