Clare McQuillan
Wild Super Champ Pie
This recipe is a hybrid of an old-fashioned make-do family dish called 'Homity' pie. Super Champ is a dish invented by friend Gerald – the king of comfort food. Wild ingredients always make their way in to my dishes and gathering is key to the enjoyment.
220g flour
150g salted butter
50-80g water
6 potatoes
2 onions
1 tbsp of butter
1 handful wild garlic
1 handful nettles
1 handful scallions
6 rashers bacon
100g grated cheddar
2 eggs beaten
30g breadcrumbs
Place the butter in the freezer for 20 minutes. Once firm, grate the butter into the flour. Gradually add in the cold water one tablespoon at a time mixing with a knife until a shaggy dough forms. Press until just together. Wrap and refrigerate. Turn your oven on to 180°C.
Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until just tender. Add the sliced bacon to a cold pan and fry until crispy. Add the sliced onions, butter and a pinch of salt. Fry the onions until they are softened and add the wild greens (wild garlic and nettles with stems removed) at the last minute until lightly cooked. Mix together with the other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
Dust your counter with flour and roll out the pastry into a round to line your dish allowing any extra pastry to hang over the side. Dock the pastry with a fork and pop into the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden. Reduce the temp to 160°C. Dollop the filling in and add remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Cook for a further 45 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Biography
Clare McQuillan is a foraging guide and freelance chef living in Belfast.