Directions
It has often been said that the U.S. and U.K. are 2 countries separated by a common language. I learned early on, encouraged be embarrassing mistakes, never to assume I knew what a Brit was talking about. An example: US calls the accessory that fastens around one’s waist and holds things like money a ‘fanny pack’. In British English the word ‘fanny’ is an extremely vulgar term used to describe a certain part of the female anatomy. They refer to the same accessory as a ‘bum bag’ which makes us Americans wonder what type of bag the vagrant had. I, of course, was overheard using the term ‘fanny pack’ at a very proper ‘luncheon’ causing some of the very proper ladies to have ‘the vapors’. By mutual consent I was not included again. I made Yorkshire pudding for years in the U.S. – in a baking dish, using the drippings from a standing beef rib roast. When my British friend said she was making Yorkshire pudding that was what I expected. She didn’t use beef drippings or anything similar and made them in a muffin pan. She made popovers. I call this a Yorkshire Pudding Pie but you could also call it a Popover Pie. Language is flexible like that….. Click here to Pin Yorkshire Pudding Pie Print Yorkshire Pudding Pie The key to good Yorkshire pudding batter or popover batter (it’s the same) is to NOT over mix it. Some lumps are the the sign that it’s just right. Author: Katie Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 50 minutes Yield: 2 servings 1x Category: Savory Pie Scale
1x2x3x Ingredients 8oz (240gr) sausages, sliced 1/3″ (1cm) thick 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 red pepper, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 8oz (240gr) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 cup shredded cheese, (2oz, 60gr) 2 eggs 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk 1 cup (4.8oz, 135gr) flour pinch nutmeg 1/4 tsp salt 1 tbs olive oil, plus more for baking dish Instructions Heat olive oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, pepper, celery, garlic and sauté until tender. Add sausage and brown. When done remove from heat. Add spinach, oregano, and mix thoroughly. In medium bowl lightly beat eggs with wire whisk. Add milk, flour, salt and nutmeg. Beat lightly to just combine; a few lumps are okay – over-beating is not. Lightly oil a 10-inch quiche dish or other glass baking dish. Pour in the batter mixture. Spoon meat/spinach mixture over top to within 1 inch of sides of dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 425F (215C) for 30 minutes or until edges puff up and are golden brown. Cut into wedges and serve. Notes You could use bulk sausage or ground beef, breaking it up as it browns.
The nutmeg is optional but is a nice addition to batters and gratins. Keywords: yorkshire pudding pie, popover pie I have 2 pet peeves with professional and / or TV chefs. They can be summed up easily: They like to over-complicate simple preparations. The first is risotto. To listen to some chefs on the cooking shows one would have to go to culinary school to make risotto, and then accept the fact that it has to be finished with a ton of butter to make it creamy. Both ideas are absolutely wrong. The creaminess comes from the broth, the type of rice, and knowing enough not to cook it dry. The difficulty is supposedly from the need to stir constantly and pay extremely close attention. Do you really think chefs in busy restaurants are ‘stirring constantly’? Pay attention and stir it from time to time….. but relax. It’s easy. The second is popovers or Yorkshire pudding. I’ve seen discussions as to whether you should use a blender or a stand mixer. Should you leave it rest an hour? 2 hours? Overnight? What if a lump is spotted? Does it need to be thrown out and made again?
I remember listening to a chef on his own show on the Food Network saying he had never managed to make a decent popover, stating all of the above misconceptions. This was a chef saying that he couldn’t make something I started making as a child ! My recipe, which I’ve been making forever, comes from an old Betty Crocker cook book. The recipe was very clear about the need to avoid over mixing – there should be at least a few lumps in the batter. And never make it ahead. Whisk it up just before using and make sure your oven is on so you don’t have to wait. No wonder people new to cooking find it such a challenge. I’m done. Try the pudding pie – it’s easy and flexible.
