Dead Cat Pie for lunch---Am I finally losing it? All families have traditions--- things that are part of their history--- in my family’s case, one that has lasted for about 50 years. Before you go running to the toilet or the phone to ring the SPCA, read on.
Mum used to cook this dish and one of my brothers labelled it ‘Dead Cat Pie.’ Initially Mum was adamant that she wouldn’t cook it as we insisted in copying our brother in has crassly described favourite, but eventually she gave up, simply giving us a wry smile and getting on with it.
Now that we are all grown up, today we decided to resurrect this cheap and easy dessert--- yes it’s not made from road kill or from a poor trapped pussycat. Why families don’t go back to basics and cook these old ‘yesteryear’ recipes, flies in the face of common sense. Why pay for a ready-made, packet or frozen preparation, when you can make a delicious pudding, using very basic ingredients. One only has to exercise a little patience while it bakes. Indeed, it cooked away in the heated oven we had used to roast the chicken and veggies while we ate the first course.
OKAY--- time to divulge what is hardly a secret. Don’t feel you have to stick to this--- do your own thing and call it what you wish.
Dead Cat Pie for lunch---Am I finally losing it? All families have traditions--- things that are part of their history--- in my family’s case, one that has lasted for about 50 years. Before you go running to the toilet or the phone to ring the SPCA, read on.
Mum used to cook this dish and one of my brothers labelled it ‘Dead Cat Pie.’ Initially Mum was adamant that she wouldn’t cook it as we insisted in copying our brother in has crassly described favourite, but eventually she gave up, simply giving us a wry smile and getting on with it.
Now that we are all grown up, today we decided to resurrect this cheap and easy dessert--- yes it’s not made from road kill or from a poor trapped pussycat. Why families don’t go back to basics and cook these old ‘yesteryear’ recipes, flies in the face of common sense. Why pay for a ready-made, packet or frozen preparation, when you can make a delicious pudding, using very basic ingredients. One only has to exercise a little patience while it bakes. Indeed, it cooked away in the heated oven we had used to roast the chicken and veggies while we ate the first course.
OKAY--- time to divulge what is hardly a secret. Don’t feel you have to stick to this--- do your own thing and call it what you wish.
Mix up scone dough (I think you call it biscuit dough in the USA and Canada). Just in case you don’t know--- here it is.
Mix up some self-rising flour (or use plain flour with baking powder---two cups of flour and two teaspoons of BP) with chopped butter---maybe 3 tablespoons----- work it with your finger-tips until it is evenly mixed. Then add a little milk, and make firm dough. Shape it into an oblong shape to fit a medium sized dish. Butter the bottom of the dish. Use as much plum jam (or any other flavour—this is where you can use your imagination) as you wish and spread it over the dough before gently rolling it up and placing it in the centre of the oblong dish. Make a few cuts into the top for a pattern. Now mix up about one and a half cups of boiling water with roughly three tablespoons of butter (OK if you don’t want butter--- be boring and healthy and use low-fat margarine or any other crappy spread) and pour it over the dough. Bake it in the oven at about 180C for about 50 minutes or until it looks just golden. You may baste some of the sauce over it halfway through cooking.
Go eat it with ice-cream, and or custard. Seconds are compulsory but in the spirit of healthy eating, I only had one helping--- because my friend and family ate the lot.
Note--- my measurements are not exact--- it’s pretty hard to stuff-up this recipe. Even a dead cat could do it!
Ready to bake-- the cat got away so we used jam!
Me first--- yum.
Mix up some self-rising flour (or use plain flour with baking powder---two cups of flour and two teaspoons of BP) with chopped butter---maybe 3 tablespoons----- work it with your finger-tips until it is evenly mixed. Then add a little milk, and make firm dough. Shape it into an oblong shape to fit a medium sized dish. Butter the bottom of the dish. Use as much plum jam (or any other flavour—this is where you can use your imagination) as you wish and spread it over the dough before gently rolling it up and placing it in the centre of the oblong dish. Make a few cuts into the top for a pattern. Now mix up about one and a half cups of boiling water with roughly three tablespoons of butter (OK if you don’t want butter--- be boring and healthy and use low-fat margarine or any other crappy spread) and pour it over the dough. Bake it in the oven at about 180C for about 50 minutes or until it looks just golden. You may baste some of the sauce over it halfway through cooking.
My lovley friend, Pat mixing the dough
Note--- my measurements are not exact--- it’s pretty hard to stuff-up this recipe. Even a dead cat could do it!
Oh My God--- That picture of the completed Pie looks like it has a cat's face, or is it my imagination?
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