Favourite Carrot Pie Recipe
There are some recipes that its good to go back to time and time again and this Carrot and Onion Pie adapted from the Cranks cookbook which is definietely a winner! Apart from being a fabulous way to use up any extra carrots, it is really tasty and really low cost!
This is a really simple and low cost meal and yet is so tasty and easy to prepare too! If you like carrots, you will love this recipe!
Who would have thought that you can make an amazing pie with just carrots and onions. In the Cranks book it is called ‘Crecy Plate Pie’.
I have discovered that Crecy can mean ‘with carrots’ but is only used as a culinary term and does not seem every common. It may come from the name of a french town – Crecy – where the carrots are supposed to be particularly tasty!
I would certainly recommend that you use really good carrots to get the best taste. Use home grown or locally grown carrots rather than the supermarket offerings, as they are always tastier and may not be any more expensive.
I think this recipe is best made with wholemeal pastry too, or at least half white and half wholemeal pastry. Wholemeal pastry has a more robust texture and nuttier flavour which all contrasts well with the sweet carrot and onion filling. Making the pastry half and half makes the pastry easier to handle, whilst still getting the benefit of the nuttier flavour.
If you would like some tips on making pastry see How To Make Pastry. Just remember to keep the pastry cool and handle gently. ‘Resting’ the pastry for half an hour makes a huge difference too, when it comes to rolling out the pastry.
Cranks Recipe Book – Still Popular
If you are a vegetarian and remember some of the Cranks recipes, you may like to know that you can still buy the Cranks recipe book as well as a more updated version. The Cranks Recipe Book
Low Cost Family Meal
The total cost of the pie is about £1.50 so with a few vegetables, you can feed a family of four for less than £3! Green vegetables are good with this, and make a good contrast.
Carrot And Onion Pie Recipe
For The Pastry
Ingredients
- 200g /7oz wholemeal flour (or mix wholemeal and white)
- 100g /3.5oz margarine
- 3-4 tablespoons cold water
Cooking Directions
- Rub the fat into the flour with cold fingers
- When it looks like breadcrumbs, add the water
- Gently store and bring the dough together to form a ball
- Place in a polythene bag to ‘rest’ in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
For The Filling
Ingredients
- 350g / 12 oz carrots
- 350g / 12oz onions
- 50g margarine
- 1 teaspoon yeast extract
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
Cooking Directions
- Peel and chop the onions
- Peel and grate the carrots
- Melt the margarine in a frying pan
- Fry the onions until just transparent and soft
- Add the carrots
- Add the mixed herbs and yeast extract
- Stir and cook gently for 10 minutes
- Preheat the oven at 200 degrees C
- Roll out half the pastry and line a 20 cm flan tin
- Fill the pastry case with the onion and carrot mix
- Roll out the second half of the pastry and place on top, nipping it to meet with the bottom half
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes
- Serve hot or cold
The one recipe from Cranks I remember with delight Marmite is the magic ingredient. I would like a replacement for all that pastry.
This looks so yummy! But I’m not sure what you’re using as yeast extract. It’s not something I’m used to seeing in recipes in the US. Is it like Marmite or like nutritional yeast?
I use Marmite – or any ‘own brand’ yeast extract. It can be made without, though if you don’t have nay. It just adds a little extra tang!