Fidget pie
A layered pie of apple, cured pork, and onion.
A fidget pie is an English pie made with layers of apple, cured pork (typically bacon), and onion, sometimes including potato, under a crimped shortcrust pastry top.
Quick Facts
- Region of prominence
- Shropshire
- Typical diameter
- 18 cm / 7.09 in
- Typical depth
- 5.5 cm / 2.17 in
- Baking time
- up to 90 minutes
Facts from the source article.
Name
The name "fidget" does not refer to restless movement. Lexicographer John Ayto traces it to "fitchet(t)", an obsolete regional term for the polecat. Culinary experts Laura Mason and Catherine Brown note the pie's occasional unpleasant smell during baking, while Ayto suggests the name may reference the animal's colour, possibly alluding to a burnt pie. Researcher Lizzie Boyd proposes an alternative derivation from "fitched", meaning "five-sided", referring to an early shape of the pie.
Description
A fidget pie contains apple, cured pork (typically bacon), and onion under a crimped shortcrust pastry top. Some preparations encase the entire filling in pastry as a portable raised pie. Ingredients are often layered, with the cured pork providing the dominant flavour. Potato may be included, balancing the pork's savouriness with a milder sweetness. Salt, pepper, wine, and stock are typical additions; upscale versions may use cider and nutmeg. Regional variations exist: Shropshire adds sugar and sweet spices; Cheshire includes sugar and sage; Derbyshire adds sultanas; Huntingdon versions have a thicker filling without extra ingredients.
History
Pork pies emerged in the United Kingdom around the early 18th century, often including apples. Recipes and regional variations proliferated in the 20th century.
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