BUSINESS:‘Pendle Witches’ Malkin Pie is taste of Lancashire

Keith Turner, of Sanwitches in Whalley Road, dreamed up “Malkin Pie” with his wife Christine to mark the 400th anniversary of the infamous witch trials last year.

The pair, who created the recipe from the same ingredients used by the witches at the Feast of Malkin Tower, featured on Channel 4 show “Bank of Dave”.

But now the popular pie has proved such a success that Christine and Keith have given up their deli duties to concentrate on making Malkin Pie full time.

The folklore-inspired dish, which blends beef and lamb, herbs and spices, bacon and pulses with a Wicca dumpling top, has attracted pie lovers from across the country as far away as Cornwall.

Now Malkin Pie is the toast of local farmers’ markets, served at private parties and could even appear on restaurant menus in Lancashire in the near future.

Keith, who runs also runs Delicious from Home catering service, has been bowled over by the success of the pie.

He said: “It was March last year when we launched it for the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witches. It has almost been a year

“Slowly and surely it is spreading. Everybody that tries it just loves it.

“People were coming into the shop from all over the place to try it. It has gone all over the country right down to even Cornwall.

“We sell it at farmers’ markets, we’re getting inquiries to put it into some local establishments and farm shops and we have been doing private parties.

“People are over the moon with it. They have never tasted anything like it before.”

Order have been flooding in for Malkin Pie particularly around Hallowe’en, Christmas and even Lancashire Day. To keep up with demand Keith and Christine are now producing Malkin Pie round the clock.

Keith said: “Our son has gone back into Sanwitches in Sabden to give us the time to progress with the next stage of Malkin Pie.

“We are able to concentrate on it now because everyone loves it.

“It is homemade , it is not mass produced by a machine. Christine does it herself in the kitchen.

“It is a real slice of Lancashire and we hope that it becomes a staple round here.”