Cheese, Onion and Potato Pie

Here's one I made today! A very satisfying pie.

This is a recipe that my Gran gave me shortly before I went to University. It's a very filling dish and friendly to a student budget! This pie is best served with baked beans, bacon and plenty of brown sauce. :) The mustard and nutmeg are not part of the original recipe, but do make nice additions if you want to try them. It's worth getting a really strong cheddar for this pie, it makes a big difference.

The baking powder in the pastry is a little unusual. It doesn't cause the pastry to become cake like, rather it seems to just lighten it a little.

The glaze is also not part of the original recipe but the appearance of the finished pie is much improved by it. Without the glaze the top will be far paler, but the pie will taste just as good.

Cheese, Onion and Potato Pie

For the pastry:

6 oz Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Pinch salt

2 oz Butter

1 oz Lard

Cold water

For the Filling:

10 oz Cooked, mashed potato

5 oz strong, mature Cheddar, grated

1 small Onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Pinch grated Nutmeg (optional)

1 - 2 tsp Mustard (optional)

Glaze:

1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp of milk beaten gently together.

Method:

1. Prepare the mash, use only a little butter and milk. Don't make the mash too soft.

2. Mix the cheese, onion, mustard and nutmeg into the mash while it is still hot. Season well with salt and pepper. Leave to cool a little while you make the pastry.

3. To make the pastry, mix the dry ingredients and then rub in the fat until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add some water and mix using a butter knife until the mixture comes together as a soft but not sticky dough. Divide the dough ball in half.

4. Roll one half of the pastry on a floured surface into a disk and use this to line a shallow, 7-8" pie dish. Spoon the filling into the lined  dish.

5. Roll out the remaining pastry to a disk to cover the filling. Lightly moisten the rim of the pastry in the dish, place the remaining pastry disc over the top of the pie and press together the edges. Slice off any excess pastry and crimp around the edge with a fork. Cut two slits in the centre of the pie. If you like, you can use any pastry off-cuts to make leaves or other decorations for the top of the pie.

6. Glaze the pie with the egg and milk mix, keeping some back. Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Briefly remove the pie and apply more glaze.

7. Bake for another 15 - 20 minutes or until the pie is golden brown on the top.

Serves 4. 

Plum Tomato and Dolcelatte Tartlets

This is one of my favourite recipes, created some years ago by accident because I wanted a new starter and I happened to have some Dolcelatte cheese. Dolcelatte cheese is a very creamy blue Italian cheese. It has a much milder flavour compared to other blue cheeses like Gorgonzola or Roquefort. Even people who claim not to like blue cheeses really enjoy this recipe. It's very easy to find Dolcelatte in supermarkets or on cheese stalls.

There are two variations of this recipe depending on (A) if you can get fresh plum tomatoes and (B) if you can be bothered doing the extra work of roasting and peeling the fresh tomatoes. If neither (A) or (B) apply, good whole tinned  Italian tomatoes make a perfectly satisfactory substitute for the fresh ones.

I have tried making this as one large tart before rather than tartlets but I have to say it wasn't a great success. This makes a wonderful starter served warm with a salad of rocket leaves. Also a nice basis for a vegetarian main course.

Plum Tomato and Dolcelatte Tartlets (makes 4)

Ingredients:


8 Fresh plum tomatoes OR 2x 400g tins of Plum Tomatoes, well drained and roughly chopped.
1 pkt (150g) Dolcelatte Cheese
Large bunch of fresh Basil.
Olive Oil
Salt and black pepper.
150g of shortcrust pastry, either shop bought or home made.

Method:

If using fresh tomatoes: Cut the tomatoes in half length ways. Lay cut side down in a roasting tin that has been lined with foil.  Drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and roast for about 15 minutes in an oven at 240 C. Let the tomatoes cool and then pull off the skins, which should now be very loose, and discard them.

1. Take the flesh of either the tinned tomatoes or freshly roasted ones and place in a sieve over a bowl. Press lightly to remove excess liquid. Leave to drain completely while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

2. Roughly cube the cheese and chop the basil and place in a bowl. Add the drained tomato flesh and a tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and then mix everything together well. That's your tartlet filling made.

3. Heat the oven to 200 C. Lightly grease four, 4"-5" tartlet tins.

4. Divide the pastry into four lumps and then roll out each one on a lightly floured surface and use to line the tartlet cases. If you have time, chill the cases for 15 minutes in the fridge.

5. Divide the tomato and cheese filling between the prepared cases and then slide the tartlets into the oven (this is easiest if you put them on top of a baking tray first).

6. Bake the tarts for 25-30 minutes until they are getting some nice little brown spots over the surface.

7. Leave the tartlets to cool for a few minutes and then remove from the tins and serve.

Note: You can make the filling a few hours in advance and leave it covered in the fridge.