The Pie Floater: A South Australian Delicacy

The Pie Floater is a classic South Australian delicacy. There’s nothing much to a pie floater, just a good old fashioned meat pie submerged upside-down in a hot pea soup. Perfect for those bitterly cold nights in Winter, or recovering from a night out on the town.

The National Trust of Australia are an organization dedicated to preserving Australian heritage. In 2003, they declared the pie floater as a South Australian icon, believing the icon to have originated over 130+ years ago in Port Pirie by a man named Ern “Shorty” Bradley.

It is unclear as to how the pie floater’s existence came about. Why Bradley decided to flip a meat pie on its bottom and dump it in a bowl of pea soup is still unknown and will likely remain that way forever.

The pie floater rose to fame in the following decades through pie carts. A pie cart was very similar to a modern food truck, serving up delicious food to customers. The success of the pie cart prompted competitors, with about 13 popping up in the Adelaide CBD during their height of popularity.

During the late 1890’s to the early 1920’s, the pie carts were horse drawn and lacked necessities such as lighting and freezers. The owners of the pie carts were forced to improvise often setting up shop in well-lit areas. Most pie carts carried ice to ensure the ingredients did not spoil. It is fair to say that running a pie cart was not for the faint hearted.

The pie carts also provided a pivotal role in the economic depression, with many unemployed residents receiving unsold pies from the day upon closing.

By 1958, only three pie carts remained owned by two individual businesses. The Cowley’s pie cart was situated by the General Post Office in Victoria Square. The Balfour’s pie carts were located at the railway station on North Terrace and on The Parade at Norwood.

Unfortunately, these days there are no permanent operational pie carts in South Australia, with the last three pie carts having all closed by 2011. The pie floater is still available for purchase through the South Australian café Villi’s. You can also follow this simple and easy recipe provided below.

How to make a pie floater:

Prep 5 Minutes I Cook 1 Hour I Serves 4.

Pie Floaters are a classic South Australian delicacy that trace back over 130+ years. There’s nothing complex about this meal, just a good old fashioned meat pie dunked upside down in a bowl of pea soup.

The equipment you’ll need:

A large Saucepan

Four Large Serving bowls.

The ingredients you’ll need:

2 Cups of dried peas (375 g)

6 Cups of chicken stock (1.5 L)

1 tbsp of bicarb soda

And 4 mini beef pies (it’s up to you what brand and filling)

How to make a tasty pie floater:

1. Pour your two cups of dried peas into a large saucepan. Then pour in the chicken stock and bicarb soda.

   
   

2. Place the saucepan over a stove and boil. Once boiled bring to a simmer on low.

   
   

3. Cook until the peas have softened and the soup has thickened. This process takes around 1 hour. Make sure to stir every now and then to prevent the peas from sticking.

   
   

   If the saucepan starts to boil over, reduce the heat. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add ½ a cup of water (repeat this process as necessary).

   
   

4. After half an hour of cooking the soup, turn the oven on. Set the temperature to whatever the packing of the pies suggests.

   
   

5. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, place the pies into the oven and heat until cooked through.

   
   

6. Once the pea soup is cooked, transfer the soup into the 4 serving bowls. Then submerge the hot pies upside down in the 4 serving bowls. Top with condiments like tomato sauce and serve.

   
   

7. Enjoy your pie floater!