Oatmeal meat pie crust

I have never been in favour of heavy pastry pie crusts but this one is my favourite as it ticks so many boxes!

Nostalgia

My Mother always used this recipe on her Springbok and Lamb pies. Every time I make it, it evokes all those delicious flavours and memories.

I make it several times in the winter when the weather calls for something more interesting than a simple stew or casserole. It beats stodgy, doughy dumplings as it is light and crisp.

After my Indian meal I found I had enough deboned spiced lamb to serve 6-8 portions and I immediately thought….. mmmmm here comes a lamb pie! Recipe: Yoghurt marinated roast lamb

Healthy

Besides oatmeal being one of the trendy ingredients regards health. The small quantity of canola oil versus the other fats used in pastry, gets an other a firm tick .

The texture

I love the texture. It has a crisp crust and also has a slight ‘doughy-ness’ that is lighter than dumplings that appeals to me.

Versatile

Ring the changes by adding various herbs and spices. For lamb I usually add rosemary, finely chopped; venison gets coarsely ground coriander seeds and fennel is a must with seafood and pulled pork ….. and you’ve probably guessed it, I usually add dried chilli flakes!

I once used it on a mustardy gammon pie and added Parmesan Cheese. Cube cooked gammon, fry onions and apple, add some cream and wholegrain mustard and place it in your pie dish. If you are serving gammon for your ‘mid-mas’ party this July, here is a good use for left overs!

It is quick and easy to make

If you can make muffins you can do this one! As with muffins the key is not to over mix. And if you do not bake often, check that the baking powder is fresh. You can also use self-raising flour and omit the baking powder.