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

1. Preheat the oven to about 200°C.
2. Heat a pan with a little oil and butter.
3. 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.
4. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring through.
5. Add the sausage meat, break it up, and brown/cook through (how much browning is up to you).
6. Add the tomatoes and cook until they go mushy and excess liquid has reduced — you want moisture but not a soggy filling.
7. 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.
8. Remove the pan from heat and let the filling cool somewhat (cooling helps prevent a soggy pastry base).
9. Roll pastry to fit the tin, leaving an overhang for crimping. Line the tin with pastry, pressing into corners.
10. Fill the pastry-lined tin with the cooled sausage–tomato–onion mixture.
11. Place the rolled pastry lid on top, trim excess, then fold and crimp the edges (or leave a thicker, old-fashioned crust if preferred).
12. Brush the pastry with beaten egg and cut a few vents in the top to let steam escape.
13. Bake at about 200°C for 35–40 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
14. 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.

Presenter / source

• Backyard Chef — Rick (YouTube). No external sources referenced beyond the on-screen commentary.