Cheshire Cheese and Onion Pie
About the bake
Some ingredients were just destined to be paired together and we think Cheshire cheese and onion are a match made in heaven. Humble, simple ingredients that make the most delicious comforting food. Dense and crumbly Cheshire Cheese really lends itself to this pie recipe as it is subtle yet flavourful, allowing the other ingredients to shine through. Once baked, leave your pie to rest for a short while at room temperature, we promise that those few minutes of patience will really elevate your filling allowing it to become denser. It is worth the wait.
Method
Step 1
Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the butter and lard and rub in with your finger tips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs, alternatively you can do this in a food processor.
Step 2
Add 2-3 tablespoons of cold water and using a butter knife bring the pastry together, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile add the butter to a frying pan with the onions, shallots and thyme and fry over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, without colouring. Add 180ml water and cook until evaporated so the onions are fully cooked, and cool.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C, gas mark 4) and get a baking sheet ready.
Step 5
Roll out half of the pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 0.5cm thick and use to line a 25cm pie dish, leaving an overhang of excess pastry. Roll out the other half of the pastry for a lid to the pie.
Step 6
Cover the base of the pie with half of the cooked onions followed by half the cheese and repeat again finishing with cheese, seasoning between layers with white pepper.
Step 7
Brush the edge with egg wash and lay the lid on top, seal by crimping with finger tips or a fork.
Step 8
Brush the pie with egg wash, cut a couple of slits in the top for the steam to escape and decorate if desired using the pastry off cuts.
Step 9
Place the pie onto the heated baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
Step 10
Leave for 30 minutes before serving at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 275gAllinson's Plain White FlourÂ
- 80gButter (salted) (cut into cubes)Â
- 60gLard (cut into cubes)Â
For the filling
- 40gButter (salted)Â
- 3Onion(s) (sliced)Â
- 3Banana shallot(s) (sliced)Â
- 1 tbspThyme leaves (chopped)Â
- 400gCheshire cheese (coarsley grated)Â
- 1Egg(s) (free range) (medium, beaten)Â
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