Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie

Recipe by Miriam O'Sullivan

This is my favourite traditional recipe, handed down to me by my late Granny and made for me as a child when I would visit her house after school. Granny was a very clever lady and always had a little vegetable patch  and a few hens. She called this dish "lucky bag" as it was made from whatever she had left over in the fridge, she would often ring the changes by the addition of a few mushrooms, diced cooked ham,or diced onions, anything really that she felt would suit the pie.

Today I make it in my own home, it brings back memories, is real comfort food, cheap and nutritious and can be served as an accompaniment  to meat, a main course or a vegetarian dish if the meat is left out. The recipe attached is exactly as I remember Granny making it and she usually served it with a fried free range egg from her own hens. Today I often serve it with a poached free range egg on a little wilted spinach. Delicious!

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie - ingredients

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie - ingredients

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie - ingredients

Enlarge image

Ingredients

1lb (500g) left over mashed potatoes

2ozs (50g) grated cheese

1oz (25g) butter

4 scallions

2/3 left over crispy rashers

2 tbs milk or cream

Black pepper to season

Fresh parsley to garnish

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie

Granny Breen's Lucky Bag Pie

Enlarge image

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together reserving half of the cheese  for the top and turn into a pie dish.
    
2. Fork the top and sprinkle on the cheese.
    
3. Cook in a preheated 170 oven for 15 to 20 mins until the cheese golden.
    
4. Serve with poached egg on some wilted spinach, a mixed salad or  topped with a fried egg as Granny used to do.
    
5. Enjoy !