Recipe
Cheese & Onion Pasties
Golden cheese & onion pasties filled with buttery onions, tender potato, mature Cheddar and English mustard. A dependable vegetarian lunch, picnic bake or comforting light supper with a crisp, flaky crust.
Ingredients
Method
25 mins prep45 mins cook70 mins total
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Boil the diced potatoes in lightly salted water for 8–10 minutes, until just tender. Drain well and leave them to steam dry.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden.
Stir in the mustard and thyme, then cook for 1 minute. Tip the onions into a bowl with the potatoes, Cheddar, pepper and nutmeg. Crush the potatoes lightly with a fork, keeping some small pieces intact, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Leave the filling to cool until no longer warm. Divide it into four equal portions.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut four circles about 20cm across. Place a portion of filling on one half of each circle, leaving a clear border.
Brush the pastry edges with a little milk, fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges together firmly. Crimp the sealed edges, then cut a small steam hole in the top of each pasty.
Brush the pasties with the remaining milk and chill for 10 minutes if you have time.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, until puffed, deeply golden and crisp. Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Let the filling cool before it goes into the pastry. If it is warm, the butter in the pastry can soften and the pasties may lose their shape.
For a sharper filling, replace up to half of the Cheddar with Lancashire or mature Red Leicester.
About this recipe
These cheese & onion pasties turn a few dependable ingredients into a properly satisfying vegetarian bake. Tender potato gives the filling substance, while slowly softened onions, mature Cheddar, English mustard and thyme add savoury depth without making it heavy.
Keep the filling fairly dry and cool it before assembling so the shortcrust pastry stays crisp. The pasties are excellent warm with salad or soup, and travel well for packed lunches and picnics once cooled.
