Cheese, potato and onion pie, recipe from Paul Hollywood’s Pies & Puds BBC series
A perfect cheese, potato and onion pie as made by Paul Hollywood on his Pies & Puds series (BBC 1). Featuring Dale End Cheddar made by Botton Creamery the rich pastry of this pie melts into its soft filling. Serve with steamed greens or crispy green salad.
Ingredients (to serve 6)
For the cheese pastry
200g/7oz plain flour
75g/2½oz cold unsalted butter, cut into roughly 1cm/½in dice
75g/2½oz white vegetable fat, cut into small pieces
25g/1oz Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), finely grated
25g/1oz Dale End Cheddar, finely grated (made by Botton Creamery)
1 free-range egg, beaten, to finish
For the filling
1kg/2lb 4oz Desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 onion, finely diced
375g/13oz mature cheddar, grated
50ml/2fl oz milk
2 tbsp chopped chives
salt and white pepper
Method
To make the pastry, put the flour into a bowl. Add the butter and vegetable fat and rub them in lightly with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs (this dough is richer and stickier than a standard pastry). Alternatively, rub in the fat using a food processor or a mixer, and then transfer to a bowl.
Add the Dale End Cheddar and Parmesan to the flour and fat and mix well. Now, using a table knife, work in just enough cold water to bring the pastry together into a dough. You’ll probably need 2-3 tablespoon. When the dough begins to stick together, use your hands to gently knead it into a ball. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6 and have ready a metal baking dish, about 24x20cm/10x8in big and 5cm/2in deep.
For the filling, place the potatoes in a saucepan, cover with water, add a little salt and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to mash, about 12-15 minutes.
Drain the potatoes well and put them through a ricer into a large bowl (this will give you smooth, lump-free mash but you can use a standard potato masher if you prefer). Add the onion, cheese, some salt and a good pinch of white pepper. Beat with a wooden spoon so the cheese is well incorporated. Add the milk and chives and give the mix a good stir.
Put the mash into the tin and use the back of a spoon spread it out until smooth and even.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry so it will just fit on top of the mash. It should be 8-10mm/1/3in thick. Place it on top of the mash, trim the edges neatly and mark the pastry into six portions by scoring it with a knife.
Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown. Let the pie stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
This recipe is adapted from BBC online’s food pages (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/cheese_potato_and_onion_96190)
Click here to buy Dale End Cheddar online from The Courtyard Dairy.
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