A Quintessential Food of World War II – Lord Woolton Pie

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In Britain, World War II wreaked havoc with so many areas of people’s lives. Millions were forced to leave homes, jobs and families to fight people they had never seen before. The ones left at home had to keep everything running on top of meeting the extra demands of war.

After long working hours, they then had to stand in lines at shops to trade their ration coupons for food. But most of the common foods were available only in small quantities or not at all. For an island nation used to meat, the dietary changes were substantial.

The Savoy Hotel’s Magnificent Creation

A chef at the Savoy Hotel in London created a recipe that ended up becoming one of the most well-known wartime dishes in England. Named after Lord Woolton, who became Britain’s Minister of Food in 1940, Woolton Pie helped fill the gap—and the stomachs—of hungry families.

Compared to some of the other pinch-hitting substitutions at the time, such as snoek, whale and organ meats, Woolton Pie was actually a success. Seasoned properly, it made a tasty and filling meal.

Several versions of the recipe have been published, such as this one from Major Lloyd George, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food:

Marguerite Patten’s recipe

I decided to try Marguerite Patten’s version. She was the Julia Child of her era (before Julia Child!), developing and demonstrating recipes for weary homemakers who needed ideas for meals on the ration. Her version is similar to Major George’s except that it separates the cooking of the vegetables and oats, and she offered the idea of a simple mashed potato topping.

The Importance of Being Versatile

The recipe is versatile and forgiving, easy to adapt to the vegetables in season. It is also good in times of scarcity as well as in times when fat or meat could be added. Even without the gravy, which is the only source of a bit of fat for this meal, the pie is good.

Both of the recipes I found call for vegetable extract, which I couldn’t find. A vegetable bouillon or concentrate could be a good substitute to add more flavor. I decided to use homemade vegetable broth that I made from the leftover bits of leeks, onion skins, parsley stems and carrot peels. Then, I added a dash of Worcestershire sauce and coconut aminos. There must be endless ways to work around vegetable extract.

Below is my adaptation of Marguerite Patten’s recipe, along with two topping recipes and a brown gravy recipe. If you need a simple meal idea that can stretch to feed as many as ten people, Woolton Pie is a great option—especially with the brown gravy but even without it. If you try it, I would love to hear your variations. It is a quintessential recipe for frugal or trying times.

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Lord Woolton Pie

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Author Adapted from Marguerite Patten

This quintessential WWII-era pie, named after Britain's Minister of Food, was a tasty and filling solution to the lack of meat during wartime.

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 pound parsnips
• 1 pound cauliflower
• 1 pound rutabaga/swede
• 1 pound carrots
• 2 quarts vegetable stock
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos (optional)
• 3-4 spring onions/scallions, minced
• 1 ounce grated Cheddar or other hard cheese

Mashed Potato Topping

• 3 large russet potatoes, pared and diced
• 4 tablespoons milk
• Salt

Potato Pastry Topping

• 6 ounces self-rising flour
• Pinch salt
• 2-3 ounces cooking fat
• 2 ounces grated raw potato
• Water for helping to bind dough

Brown Gravy

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups liquid (potato or vegetable broth, water or a combination)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (optional)
• Salt & Pepper

Instructions

Filling

1. Pare and dice parsnips, rutabaga and carrots. Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Cook vegetables in boiling, salted vegetable stock until tender. Drain (reserving stock) and place cooked vegetables in a large pie plate or shallow casserole.
2. Add 1½ cups vegetable stock to saucepan with rolled oats, Worcestershire sauce and coconut aminos (if using). Cook until thickened; then, pour over vegetables. Sprinkle spring onions or scallions over. Top with Mashed Potato Topping OR Potato Pastry Topping and grated cheese. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. To brown potatoes, place under broiler 3-5 minutes. Serve with brown gravy.

Mashed Potato Topping

1. Boil diced potatoes in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain (reserve liquid for gravy). Return potatoes to saucepan and blend well with milk using an electric mixer. Add salt if needed.

Potato Pastry Topping

1. Sift flour and salt together. Rub in cooking fat. Add grated potato; mix well, adding water one tablespoon at a time as needed to bind dough. Roll dough to desired size on floured board.

Brown Gravy

1. Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and whisk to combine to a smooth paste. Cook for several minutes, whisking constantly. Add liquid, Worcestershire sauce, and coconut aminos and toasted sesame oil, if using. Continue to whisk until gravy is smooth. If gravy is too thick to pour, add 1-2 tablespoons additional liquid and whisk. Season with salt and pepper.

REFERENCES

Patten, Marguerite. Victory Cookbook: Nostalgic Food and Facts 1940-1954. London: Chancellor Press, 2014.

“Better is a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred.”

Proverbs 15:17