My first homity pie was at Caudwells Mill, it was absolutely  delicious…the perfect comfort food! So when I saw this delicious looking homity pie, made by FP club member Claire (aka Domestic Goddess), I just had to include it on the blog.  

Over to Claire…

This is my version of the lovely, originally vegetarian pie. I could not resist adding pancetta as it adds a great extra flavour but I am sure it would work without.

I have had a couple of quiche based disasters recently. I can’t seem to get them to be quite the right consistency and it can all go horribly wrong. With a Homity though, there is no need to worry about that as there is nothing to ’set’ as such. Try it!

Homity Pie

• Make up a batch of ‘rich pastry’ – see below, refrigerate for 20 mins then roll out
• Butter a pie dish and line it with rolled out pastry with a good overhang as it will shrink, a lot
• Prong it with a fork and blind bake it for 10-15 mins on 200 degrees

I find that I don’t need to do the baking beans thing if I use wholemeal pastry

• Peel, cube (dice size) and slowly fry 1lb potatoes in olive oil until soft and browned, new potatoes stick a bit but are still nice
• Peel, finely slice and fry 1lb of onions until soft and browned
• Add 2 sliced garlic cloves to the onions near to the end of their cooking time
• Fry off a pack of cubetti di pancetta – easy to find in the shops with the deli meat

All of the above can be done in advance like this: 

 Mix all this together in a large pan on a very low heat to help you mix

• Add a small bunch of fresh chopped herbs: marjoram, thyme, that sort of thing
• Add plenty of salt and pepper, 2 really big pinches of each
• Stir in a small carton of double cream (100-150ml)
• Take off the heat
• Stir in 2oz mature grated cheese
• Pile into your blind baked pastry in the pie dish
• Add another 2oz cheese on top
• Cook in a hottish oven (180-190) for 25-30 mins until golden

Allow to cool for ½ an hour before you eat. It’s great for picnics too.

‘Rich Pastry’

Put 180g of flour in a bowl, I use a mix of 1/2 plain flour and 1/2 wholemeal

• Rub in 100g butter
• Add 50g grated parmesan and a pinch of salt
• Add some stripped thyme leaves if you have them
• Add 1 egg yolk mixed with 1tsp water gradually to bring it into a ball
• Wrap in cling film and put in fridge

You can cook any strips of leftover pastry with a bit of cheese on the top as impromptu cheese straws. 

Click here to go to Claire’s fabulous blog where you can find lots of other inspirational recipes.

Looking for something to do this weekend?  Why not get out and about and visit some fabulous places in Derbyshire?  fabulousplaces.co.uk is the perfect ‘where to go’ resource if you’re looking for an extra special visit into Derbyshire.  This blog post is looking at the A6 journey into Derbyshire, starting from Duffield and ending at Avant Garde in Baslow.

Gifted is a lovely gift boutique on the main road in Duffield.  From jewellery to bags and homwares to childrens traditional toys.  Gifted is open 7 days a week.

Next on the A6 is Belper which has lots of fabulous places:


I Should Cocoa – a must see for all chocolate lovers.  This is artisan chocolate at its best and the selection is to die for…there are even a few surprising chocolates for the adventurous chocolate fan.  I Should Cocoa also have a lunch menu which is perfect for a light bite at a great price.  I Should Cocoa is open Monday to Saturday.

Fresh Basil – a fab deli eatery offering a great range of carefully selected local and continental deli produce, homemade cakes, bread, meats, eggs and lots of other tempting fresh goodies.  They also have a great menu, which I’m working my way through…delicious!  Fresh Basil is open Monday to Saturday.

Definitely worth a visit is Sweetings Interiors.  On several floors, this interiors shop is a wonderful place to lose an hour wondering round getting  lots of inspiration. Sweetings is open 7 days a week.

The next must see is Lavender grey.  This little shop is fabulous, each time I visit I know there will be something to tempt me.  Run by Lucy, an interior designer, who is always happy to help you find exactly what you’re looking for.  Lavender grey is open Tuesday to Saturday. 

Next would have to be Bow at the Printworks in Cromford.  I wonderful little shop full of accessories for the home, jewellery and cards.  What I love about Bow is that each item is carefully selected by the owner, Susanna, and the prices are very reasonable.  Susanna also sources locally and stocks lots of products made from all over Derbyshire.



Heading a little further towards Bakewell, I always stop off at Caudwells Mill.  The Mill has such a lovely atmosphere on a sunny day and the eatery is great….the hommity pie is delicious and the cakes always look and taste fab.

 After Caudwells Mill I would go for a wonder around the Chatsworth Estate.  A mid afternoon walk around Chatsworth is a treat.  The best walk, in my opinion, and it’s totally free, is to head up through the car park and follow the track past the farm yard and round to the right.  This takes you up to the back of the house, a great view and there are also magical-looking lakes, waterfalls and woodland – the perfect place to head with doggies and it’s normally very quiet.

Our Chatsworth ritual is to finish off in the farm shop to get sausages and other goodies to cook for tea when we get home…or in the case of the caramel slices, to eat in the car on the way home!

I’m not sure how much time you’ll have left, but Avant Garde in Baslow is one of my favourites.

This is a pretty full on day and it can be done with children and/or doggies…especially if you’re lucky like I am and have a partner who’s happy to wonder around with the dogs while I nip into browse round a shop!  ) 

Have fun!