Summary of "This British Classic Sausage Pie Is Almost Forgotten"

Sausage, Onion & Tomato Pie (Backyard Chef — Rick)

A hearty meat-and-veg pie made with sausage meat, onions and tomatoes, baked in ready-rolled pastry. Rick uses an 8 in tin (square in his demonstration) and notes the pie is excellent hot or cold.

Ingredients

Sausages — skins removed (enough sausage meat to fill an 8 in tin). Alternative: seasoned minced meat.
Onions — a couple, sliced.
Tomatoes — fresh (sliced or cubed) or tinned. If tinned, cook until mushy to reduce moisture.
Garlic — minced or crushed (optional). Rick notes garlic wasn’t in the original recipe but is a modern addition.
Fat for frying — a little oil plus butter (or oil or butter alone).
Tomato purée — about 1 tablespoon (optional, for depth).
Condiment — a splash of Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s (optional).
Seasoning — salt (use sparingly; sausage is often salty), black pepper, fresh/dried thyme or other herbs to taste. Small pinch of sugar optional (helps caramelize onions).
Ready-rolled pastry — enough for base, sides and lid (for an 8 in tin).
Egg — for egg wash.
Optional serving: boiled gravy, pickles (pickled onions, beetroot), chips and salad.

Note: aim for a moist, jammy filling but avoid excess liquid so the pastry doesn’t become soggy.

Equipment & preparation

8 in pie tin (Rick used a square tin); baking tray for the oven.
Frying pan/skillet and spatula.
Rolling pin (if using non-ready-rolled pastry) and knife.
Pastry brush for egg wash, spoon for filling, and a knife or venting tool.
Preheat oven to about 200°C.
Prepare filling: remove sausage skins and break up sausage meat; slice onions; chop or slice tomatoes; crush/mince garlic.

Method — step-by-step

Preheat the oven to about 200°C.
Heat a pan with a little oil and butter.
Add the sliced onions and cook for about 10 minutes. Season lightly with salt and, if desired, a small pinch of sugar to help caramelize.
Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring through.
Add the sausage meat, break it up, and brown/cook through (how much browning is up to you).
Add the tomatoes and cook until they go mushy and excess liquid has reduced — you want moisture but not a soggy filling.
Stir in about 1 tablespoon tomato purée and a splash of Worcestershire or Henderson’s sauce for depth. Add black pepper and thyme (or other herbs) to taste. Continue cooking until the mixture is a moist, jammy filling.
Remove the pan from heat and let the filling cool somewhat (cooling helps prevent a soggy pastry base).
Roll pastry to fit the tin, leaving an overhang for crimping. Line the tin with pastry, pressing into corners.
Fill the pastry-lined tin with the cooled sausage–tomato–onion mixture.
Place the rolled pastry lid on top, trim excess, then fold and crimp the edges (or leave a thicker, old-fashioned crust if preferred).
Brush the pastry with beaten egg and cut a few vents in the top to let steam escape.
Bake at about 200°C for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
Let the pie rest/cool on a rack for around 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Timing & temperatures

Onions: ~10 minutes to cook/caramelize.
Garlic: ~30 seconds when added later.
Oven: ~200°C.
Bake: 35–40 minutes until golden.
Rest: ~10 minutes before serving.

Chef tips & common pitfalls

Cook tomatoes down until mushy to drive off excess liquid — aim for a moist/jammy filling but not soggy.
Sausage meat often contains salt; taste the filling before adding extra salt.
Let the filling cool before filling the pastry to avoid a soggy bottom.
A little sugar helps onion caramelization if desired.
Egg wash and vents improve crust color and release steam.
Don’t overfill the pie; leave enough pastry to seal properly.
Ready-rolled pastry saves time; square tins create attractive corner servings.

Variations

Italian-style: use Italian sausages, add Italian herbs and olives.
Use seasoned minced meat instead of sausage for a savoury mince version.
Adjust herbs and spices to preference (mixed herb blends, extra pepper, etc.).

Serving suggestions

Serve hot or cold — Rick highlights the pie is “superb cold” with chips and salad.
Accompaniments: pickles (pickled onions, beetroot), a bit of boiled gravy, chips and salad.