Cheese and Red Onion Pie Recipe

A firm family favourite I like to serve this with sweet potato wedges or potatoes scallops and beans. It also makes a tasty addition to any buffet, particularly when decorated to match the occasion, where it can be served cold. It easy to cut a slice into baby sized grabable chunks for those doing baby led weaning.

 

Ingredients

• 300g plain flour
• 125g unsalted butter
• 100-150g grated cheese (depending on how thick you want your pie)
• 1 red onion
• Cold water
• 1tbsp whole milk

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 200C and grease a pie dish with unsalted butter.
2. Place the flour and butter into a bowl and rub together until it resembles breadcrumbs. (This is easier to accomplish if the butter has been left at room temperature beforehand).
3. Pour in a small amount of water at a time and combine with the flour butter mixture until a workable dough is achieved.
4. Place the dough in the fridge and leave to rest while you prepare the filling.
5. Dice the onion into small pieces and grate the cheese if not already grated.
6. Split the dough into two balls, one ball should be bigger than the other, approximately a 65/35 split.
7. On a clean floured surface roll out the bigger dough ball to match the shape of your pie dish, (such as round for the pie pictured).
8. Once rolled out line the pie dish with the dough, the dough should overhang the sides of the dish.
9. Fill the dish with the fillings by layering onion then cheese, this should be done three times.
10. Roll out the smaller dough ball to match the shape of your pie dish.
11. Wet your finger with the water and run this around the rim of the pie dish then place the rolled out dough on top.
12. With your thumb and forefinger squeeze the two dough layers together.
13. With a sharp knife cut away the overhanging excess dough, (place to one side if you wish to decorate your pie with pastry shapes as pictured). This can be done by balancing the pie dish on your flat palm and turning your hand slowly while running the knife along the edge of the pie dish.
14. Score the top of the pie with at least three lines, that are deep enough to cut the top layer of dough but don't damage the base. (If you are decorating your pie then you may want to decorate first then score around the decoration as pictured.)
15. To decorate roll out the offcuts of overhanging dough and cut into shapes, (for my pie I used a flower cutter). Wet the back of the shapes then lightly press onto the pie. Alternatively you can score words into the pie to make seasonal messages, such as 'Happy Xmas'.
16. Brush with whole milk then bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Check the pie at 25 minutes to ensure it is cooking evenly and turn if not.