Raggedy Cheese and Onion Pie

I think you might like this one.

I escaped from a three day stint in hospital recently and what I wanted when I got home was pie.

Not shop bought and reheated pie but home-made, hot pie.  Real pie. I also didn't want to bake a normal size pie because, being at home all day, I thought I might eat it all.  Actually I knew I would eat it all. Undoubtedly in one sitting.

Problem number 1:  I don't have a single portion pie tin.

Problem number 2:  I didn't have the oomph to go to the shops to get any special ingredients or equipment.

Solution; Raggedy cheese and onion pie!   Brilliant!

Gluttony really is the mother of invention.

You will need:

For the pastry

4 oz sifted plain flour
2 oz vegetable fat (I used Trex)
1 tablespoon ice cold water

For the filling

1 medium brown onion
3 oz grated strong cheddar
salt and pepper

An oven heated to 200C

Method:

Rub the fat into the flour using only your finger tips (imagine you are crushing flaky sea salt between your fingers - that is sort of the action we are after here).

Once the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs add the water and quickly bring the whole lot together into a ball using your hand.  Do not squidge it.  It needs to just come together.

Wrap the pastry ball in clingfilm and pop it in the fridge.

Meanwhile peel and chop the onion into 8 and boil in unsalted water for 10 minutes or so until soft.  Drain and mix with the grated cheese.  Mix well, taste and season.  Be careful with the salt as the cheese will be quite salty.  Leave to cool.

Once the onion and cheese mixture has cooled roll out the chilled pastry (on a floured surface) until it is about 10 inches across and roughly circular.

Pick the pastry disc up by curling part of it over the rolling pin and drop it into a breakfast bowl.  Press gently so that the pastry assumes the shape of the dish.

Now tip in your cooled onion and cheese mixture and pat it down.  Bring the edges of the pie up to roughly meet on top of the pie and squidge a few edges together so that you have a plump little parcel.

Depending on the size of your breakfast bowl you may have a hole on the top of your pie where the pastry did not quite meet.  This is absolutely fine. Mine did.  If you do not have a hole you will need to cut a small hole in the top to let the steam escape.

Now slide the pie from the breakfast bowl onto a non-stick baking sheet and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes or so.  You can brush it with beaten egg if you want a glossy finish but it is not essential.

Bake for 5 minutes at 200C then turn the heat down to 180C and bake for a further 30 minutes.  Serve with a dash of worcestershire sauce.

I reckon this would be very nice with a bunch of watercress but I didn't have any.