Ration Book Egg and Sausage Pie is a simple shortcrust pastry case filled with tasty sausages and am egg custard. It’s an incredibly easy recipe with very few ingredients but it is a recipe that is so popular with all the family.
We’ve all heard stories of ‘what it was like in the war’ and the recent TV series, War Time Farm brought home again how different things were for people in Britain trying to get by and feed their families during the Second World War. When Karen of Lavender and Lovage suggested living on WW2 rations for a week, I was right in there signing on with Karen and Fiona from London Unattached. As the time has got nearer, it has become more daunting, maybe because I’ve really looked at what might be involved!
I’ve thought hard about how I should approach this challenge and over this weekend I have come to the conclusion that I need to start from where I am. So my challenge will take into account that we live on a farm where, according to my MIL who lived through WW2, there were always plenty of vegetables and they didn’t often have to do without.
In terms of our own family, if there was a war on my sons, who are 23 and 25, would be enlisted and fighting. I would like to think that our younger son, who is a musician, would be in ENSA entertaining the troops. Our elder son, perhaps a quartermaster, organising the stores in one of the forces. However, it is more likely that they would front line troops sent to Europe or the far east to fight for their country. It gives me a chill just to think about it.
During the Second World War it was considered essential that a male
workforce was kept back from active military service to be employed in
certain jobs. As a farmer, my husband would be in a ‘protected occupation’, just as his father was, and I would also be needed to work on the farm, which is why you see my dressed as a ‘Land Girl’ in my blog header this week!
Sausages were not on ration but were often difficult to get hold of, so when you did get them, you wanted to make the most of them. Eggs were rationed and this pie, uses all of our egg rations for the week. However it will provide two meals, so good value. The recipe comes from Aunt Kate’s Ration Recipe Book, presented with the ‘People’s Friend’.
WW2 Rations 1940: per one person (adult)
ham: 100g (4oz)
pints (1200ml).
to 8oz (225g)
Menu
Monday
Breakfast – Porridge (made with water)
Lunch – Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and Potato Soup
1 tbsp lard or oil
3 large leeks
1 1/2 lb potatoes
4 pints stock
Heat the oil over a moderate heat, add the cleaned chopped leeks, and let them sweat for while until they start to soften. Add the potatoes, chopped into 2in chunks and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and cook until the leeks and potatoes have cooked, about 30 minutes.
Supper – Egg and Sausage Pie
This recipe comes from Aunt Kate’s Ration Recipe Book. This booklet was given away free with the People’s Friend magazine and it is part of the collection of recipe cuttings collected over the years by my grandmother, my husband’s grandmother and my mother-in-law.
So what is left?
three people
(36 eggs every four weeks) 9
eggs for one week
More Ration Book Recipes
- Ration Book Porridge
- Ration Book Haricot Beans Boston Style
- WW2 Blackberry & Apple Pie and Wartime Beef Stew
- The National Loaf
Why not join Karen and Fiona on their Wartime Kitchens?
Egg and Sausage Pie
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 8 oz sausages approx 4 sausages I browned the sausages first although this is not required
- 1/4 pint milk
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 lb short pastry I substituted vegetable shortening, couldn’t face lard, for half the butter in this recipe
Instructions
- 1/2 lb short pastryLine a deep sandwich tin with pastry.
- 8 oz sausagesPlace sausages, sliced length ways, on the pastry.
- 3 eggs, 1/4 pint milk, salt and pepperBeat the eggs with the milk and a dash of salt and pepper and pour over the sausages.
- Bake for 45 minutes in a moderate oven.
- Serve hot, or when cold cut into wedges and serve with lettuce and sliced tomatoes.
fiona maclean says
love the new banner janice!
Karen S Booth says
A FABULOUS first post Janice and some great and VERY innovative recipes too…..I LOVED reading all about the personal side if the war time in your family and this will generate a lot of interest I think! Karen
Karen S Booth says
Forgot to say that I LOVE your banner too, land girl Janice! xx
Debs Dust Bunny says
You are letting yourself in for a difficult time. Good luck! I can't wait to see how this experiment goes. I think you are fortunate to live on a farm. : )
Carole says
Hi there. The current Food on Friday is all about sausages! So it would be great if you linked this in. This is the link . Have a good week.
Jayne says
Well done to you for trying this! Sounds like a great challenge, good luck for the rest of the week!
Please Do Not Feed The Animals. says
Wow Janice! I love the challenge, I love your banner. I love your recipes and the nuggets of info making it personal. You are ace!
Janice says
Thanks all, it seems to be going quite well at the moment, although there is a lot more preparation to do.