The women of New Zealand worked hard during the two World Wars to feed, clothe, and take care of their families when food was rationed and just about everything else went towards the war effort. While they probably never gave it a thought back then, their ingenuity and resourcefulness is a great example of how to reuse, recycle, and reduce – the three activities at the forefront of green living.
Meat was also rationed, which meant home cooks had to find creative ways to feed their family without it. The Homity Pie was a popular meat and egg-free pie (perfect for the vegetarians among us). This recipe is one that Wendyl published a few years back but is worth sharing again as it’s delicious.
Short crust pastry
4 potatoes, peeled
2 onions, diced
1 leek, chopped
Large hand full spinach, chopped
Sprig of thyme, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g butter
150ml cream
150g grated cheddar cheese
2 tsp mustard powder
Salt and pepper
Roll out the pastry and line a greased 23cm pie dish. Put some baking paper over the base and fill with beans or similar and bake blind in a 200 degree C oven for 15 minutes. Take the beans out, prick the base and cook for a further five minutes.
While you are baking the crust, boil the peeled potatoes until just cooked.
In a frying pan melt the butter and cook the leek, onions, garlic and thyme on a very low heat. If you can do this for at least 15 minutes they will soften and caramelise which gives them a lovely flavour.
When the potatoes are cooked, dice, then add to the onion mixture along with the spinach, cream, cheese, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into the pastry crust and cook for 15 minutes until golden brown.

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