As I was writing my Food Memories post about Blue Moon Cafe in Sheffield, it made me hungry for the Homity pie I loved so much. So I asked boss man Bill for the recipe, and guess what? He allowed me to share the love, and here it is.

Although Homity pie sounds decidedly American, it’s actually a traditional British dish - although I’m unable to find much about its exact history. I do know that it gained popularity in the 60s, when hippies and vegetarianism went hand in hand - with flowers in their hair, probably.

Ingredients:

• 600g onions, coarsely chopped

• 3tbsp margarine

• 1.5kg potatoes cut in 2.5 cm squares

• 3 cloves garlic

• 225g grated cheddar cheese, plus enough to sprinkle on top

• Salt and black pepper

• Shortcrust pastry

• Handful of finely chopped parsley

Method:

1. Line a shallow greased tin (17 x 27 x 4cm) with thinly rolled shortcrust pastry.

2. Cook the onions in the margarine on a low heat until they are very soft, sweet and just beginning to turn. This will take a long time and they will need stirring from time to time to make sure they don’t catch or burn. 

3. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a minute or two. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water, making sure that they don’t fall to bits.

4. Add the grated cheese to the cooked onions while they are still hot, as the cheese needs to melt. Carefully stir in the potatoes, along with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. 

5. Spoon into the tin and sprinkle with grated cheese.

6. Bake at Gas Mark 4 (180°C or 160°C fan oven) for around 45 - 50 minutes until lightly browned on top.

To enjoy it the Blue Moon Cafe way, eat it warm with a selection of salads.