Cheese and Onion Pie | Guest Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2024)

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Introduction

Since opening, customers often ask for Margot or call me Margot. I didn’t know that this would happen but I answer to Margot too now. When I named the bakery I was looking for something that communicated warmth, community and a different approach to baking. Various ideas were discarded in conversation with Lucy, designer and architect for the bakery, but Margot resonated as it made me think of two wonderful women, my husband’s grandmother Perlette, or Perla, and my Nana, Margaret. The Greek and Latin words for Pearl are the root of the names Margot, Margaret, and Pearl. My Nana, though not a baker, is from Oldham in Lancashire, and has been a constant kind and generous presence in my life along with my grandfather. This pie connects me to the place I was born and I think of my northern family when I make it.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Since opening, customers often ask for Margot or call me Margot. I didn’t know that this would happen but I answer to Margot too now. When I named the bakery I was looking for something that communicated warmth, community and a different approach to baking. Various ideas were discarded in conversation with Lucy, designer and architect for the bakery, but Margot resonated as it made me think of two wonderful women, my husband’s grandmother Perlette, or Perla, and my Nana, Margaret. The Greek and Latin words for Pearl are the root of the names Margot, Margaret, and Pearl. My Nana, though not a baker, is from Oldham in Lancashire, and has been a constant kind and generous presence in my life along with my grandfather. This pie connects me to the place I was born and I think of my northern family when I make it.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

  • Cheese and Onion Pie | Guest Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (1)
    Modern Sourdough
Cheese and Onion Pie | Guest Recipes | Nigella's Recipes (2)

Ingredients

Makes: 1 pie - 25cm / 10 in

MetricCups

For the filling

  • 1200 grams brown onions (peeled and finely sliced in half moon shapes)
  • 60 grams unsalted butter
  • 1 medium bunch of fresh thyme
  • 800 grams lancashire cheese (thickly sliced)
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the hot water crust pastry

  • 175 grams unsalted butter
  • 170 grams water
  • 463 grams strong white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 125 grams whole eggs
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • beaten eggs (to glaze)

For the filling

  • 42¼ ounces brown onions (peeled and finely sliced in half moon shapes)
  • 2½ ounces unsalted butter
  • 1 medium bunch of fresh thyme
  • 1¾ pounds lancashire cheese (thickly sliced)
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For the hot water crust pastry

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter
  • 6 ounces water
  • 16¼ ounces strong white bread flour (plus extra for dusting)
  • 4 ounces whole eggs
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • beaten eggs (to glaze)

Method

Cheese and Onion Pie is a guest recipe by Michelle Eshkeri so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

  1. To make the filling, place the sliced onions, butter and 1 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook gently for 30–40 minutes, over a low heat, until soft and wilted. Set aside a few whole thyme sprigs (for garnishing the pie) and strip the leaves from the remaining sprigs. Remove the lid from the onions, add half the thyme leaves and season lightly; cook for another 15–20 minutes until the onions have dried out a little. Cool and check the seasoning. The onions should be meltingly soft and quite sweet but well seasoned.
  2. For the pastry, place the butter and water in a small saucepan over a low to medium heat until the butter is just melted. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before using.
  3. Place the flour, eggs and salt in a medium bowl or in free standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Begin to mix and when the eggs and flour are well combined, pour in the water and butter mix, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until the dough is smooth or knead on a work surface for 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.
  5. Divide the pastry into two pieces, one twice the size of the other.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece of pastry into a circle slightly larger than a 25cm (10 in) pie dish. Transfer to the dish by rolling the dough over the rolling pin and unrolling it carefully over the pie dish. Push into the corners but leave the edges overhanging the dish.
  7. Arrange a layer of cooled onion at the bottom of the dish then a layer of cheese. Add black pepper and a sprinkle of thymeleaves as you build the layers. Continue with the layers of cheese and onion until all the ingredients are used up.
  8. Roll out your remaining piece of dough into a circle a little larger than the top diameter of your pie dish and place on top of the pie. Trim the edges and pinch them together – you can make a pattern or just firmly press to close them.
  9. Brush with the beaten egg and arrange the reserved thyme sprigs on top of the pie, making sure they make good contact with the pastry.
  10. Make several holes in the top with a knife so steam can escape and bake for 50–70 minutes until hot, golden and the cheese is bubbling. Serve warm or cold.
  1. To make the filling, place the sliced onions, butter and 1 tsp salt in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook gently for 30–40 minutes, over a low heat, until soft and wilted. Set aside a few whole thyme sprigs (for garnishing the pie) and strip the leaves from the remaining sprigs. Remove the lid from the onions, add half the thyme leaves and season lightly; cook for another 15–20 minutes until the onions have dried out a little. Cool and check the seasoning. The onions should be meltingly soft and quite sweet but well seasoned.
  2. For the pastry, place the butter and water in a small saucepan over a low to medium heat until the butter is just melted. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before using.
  3. Place the flour, eggs and salt in a medium bowl or in free standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Begin to mix and when the eggs and flour are well combined, pour in the water and butter mix, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until the dough is smooth or knead on a work surface for 4–5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  4. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.
  5. Divide the pastry into two pieces, one twice the size of the other.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the larger piece of pastry into a circle slightly larger than a 25cm (10 in) pie dish. Transfer to the dish by rolling the dough over the rolling pin and unrolling it carefully over the pie dish. Push into the corners but leave the edges overhanging the dish.
  7. Arrange a layer of cooled onion at the bottom of the dish then a layer of cheese. Add black pepper and a sprinkle of thymeleaves as you build the layers. Continue with the layers of cheese and onion until all the ingredients are used up.
  8. Roll out your remaining piece of dough into a circle a little larger than the top diameter of your pie dish and place on top of the pie. Trim the edges and pinch them together – you can make a pattern or just firmly press to close them.
  9. Brush with the beaten egg and arrange the reserved thyme sprigs on top of the pie, making sure they make good contact with the pastry.
  10. Make several holes in the top with a knife so steam can escape and bake for 50–70 minutes until hot, golden and the cheese is bubbling. Serve warm or cold.

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FAQs

How do you keep the bottom of a cheese and onion pie from getting soggy? ›

Blind-bake your base before adding a filling to help to firm the base and avoid liquid being absorbed into it. Prick the base with a fork to help steam escape, cover with foil or parchment, and weigh it down with ceramic baking beans, uncooked rice or white sugar. Then bake at 220°C (425°F) for 15 minutes.

Can you cook cheese and onion pie from frozen? ›

To cook from frozen, preheat the oven to 170 degrees and place on a baking tray. Cook for 35 minutes until golden brown and piping hot.

Can you freeze cheese pie? ›

Yes – make the pies, cool, place in an airtight container and freeze. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat, uncovered, on a tray, in the oven at 180C/375F for 20-25 minutes, until piping hot throughout.

What is honey pie made of? ›

Honey Pie made with creamy honey flavored custard nestled in a crisp, flaky crust. The filling is cooked on the stovetop then poured into a prebaked pie crust for a foolproof honey custard pie.

Should I bake the bottom pie crust first? ›

You do not need to pre-bake a pie crust for an apple pie or any baked fruit pie really, but we do freeze the dough to help it stay put. Pre-baking the pie crust is only required when making a custard pie OR when making a fresh fruit pie. you should probably get: Pie weights are super helpful to have for pre-baking.

How do you get a crispy crust on the bottom of a pie? ›

Choose the Right Rack in the Oven

Which rack you use in the oven can help ensure a crisp crust. Baking the pie on a lower rack will concentrate heat on the bottom of the pie and help the crust crisp.

Is it better to bake a pie frozen or thawed? ›

Place pie in freezer; pull out when ready to bake. When ready to bake pie, heat oven to 450°F. When oven is preheated, remove frozen pie from freezer; cut a few slits in top crust and place in oven. Do not thaw pie because no one wants a soggy pie.

Is it better to bake pie crust frozen or thawed? ›

If your shaped pie dough is frozen, bake directly from frozen (note: this can only be done with some pie pans – learn more about that here). Dock the bottom and sides of the pie crust all over with a fork. See my Best Ever Pie Crust recipe here. Line the chilled crust in the pan with parchment or foil.

Should frozen pie crust be thawed before filling and baking? ›

Like refrigerated pie dough, you can use frozen pie dough with most pie fillings, including custard, fruit or nut fillings. However, you'll need to allow it to thaw in the refrigerator completely (preferably overnight) — this product should not be baked directly from the freezer.

Who makes the best cheese and onion pie? ›

Lancashire Cheese & Onion Pies

Our pies are the best pies in Britain (well, our pie chef has won five categories at the British Pie Awards and was crowned Supreme Champion). Packed in boxes of four, each pie serves one generously.

What pies can you not freeze? ›

In general, custard and cream pies do not freeze well. They tend to get soggy and unappealing when you defrost them.

Why put butter in pie filling? ›

A: Dotting the top of a fruit pie filling with butter is an old habit but one that is called for in only about half of the pie recipes out there. Some maintain that the butter is for taste; others claim that it helps the filling set up, particularly when using flour as a thickener.

What is crack pie made of? ›

Since it was invented it has become one of the most popular desserts in the world probably. Crack Pie is made of an oatmeal cookie crust filled with rich buttery pudding made mostly out of sugar, butter, cream and egg yolks. After baking it receives a golden top that is especially attractive and tempting.

What is Hawaiian pie made of? ›

In a large mixing bowl, fold pineapple, lemon juice, whipped topping, cherries, condensed milk, and walnuts together. Pour into pie shell and chill for at least one hour before serving.

What is massachusetts pie? ›

Upon the announcement of the official state dessert of Massachusetts, the Boston Cream Pie was proclaimed on December 12, 1996. The pie defeated candidates such as the toll house cookie and Indian pudding. Not only that, but chocolate chip cookies were also invented in Massachusetts!

How do I stop the bottom of my pie from being soggy? ›

“Before you add your pie filling, mix together about a teaspoon of all-purpose flour and a teaspoon of white granulated sugar, then dust the mixture on the bottom of your pie crust,” recommends Stacey.

Should I egg wash the bottom pie crust? ›

You've spent time and effort putting the pastry together, so don't sell yourself short by skipping the final step—the egg wash for the pie crust. The truth is that cream and egg washes are a simple but vital step to improving the appearance and flavor of pies and other baked goods.

References

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