Apple, cheese & potato pie
Add to favourite + Print Print

Apple, cheese & potato pie

By Liberty Mendez

Put a savoury twist on apple pie with potato, cheese and onion, as well as mustard and thyme. The sweet and savoury flavours create a stunning pie

  • Prep:25 mins
    Cook:1 hrs 15 mins
    plus 30 mins chilling
  • Serves 6
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 708
  • fat 40g
  • saturates 24g
  • carbs 65g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 6g
  • protein 19g
  • salt 1.6g

Ingredients

  • 30g salted butter
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, halved and finely sliced
  • ½ bunch of thyme, leaves picked
  • 30g plain flour
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 450g potatoes (we used Maris Piper), cut into 2-3cm chunks
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-2cm chunks
  • 150g mature cheddar, grated
  • 300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 70g cheddar, grated
  • 150g cold butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 egg, beaten

Tip

GET CREATIVE
If you have any small biscuit or fondant cutters, you can use these to cut out pastry shapes to decorate the top of the pie. Simply dust the cutters with flour to stop the pastry from sticking, then stamp out whatever shapes you choose. You can even use the smaller end of piping nozzles to create mini rounds, or cups and glasses for bigger discs.
BEGINNER'S LATTICE
If you want to create a lattice top but you’re new to pastry, go for a rustic effect. Simply cut the strips of pastry in different sizes and weave them in and out – the varying sizes means any pastry mishaps will go unnoticed.

Method

  1. First, make the pastry. Tip the flour, cheese and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix. Add the butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in 4-5 tbsp cold water, and bring together into a dough. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.

  2. To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, then add the oil and onions and cook for 10-15 mins until caramelised. Add the thyme and fry for 1 min more. Tip in the flour, and stir to combine. Gradually stir in the stock, adding it in small amounts to prevent lumps forming. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mustard and vinegar towards the end of the cooking time.

  3. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 4-5 mins until just cooked and still holding their shape. Drain well, then stir into the sauce. Add the apples, cheddar and some seasoning, and stir again. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

  4. Pour the filling into a 28cm oval baking dish (ours was 28 x 18.5 x 6.5cm). While it cools, roll out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with flour to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into strips roughly 1cm wide. Lay half the strips across the dish horizontally, leaving gaps of a few millimetres in-between, then, one by one, weave in the remaining strips vertically, using an over and under technique, also spacing them apart by a few millimetres. Re-roll any trimmings and cut into flowers, leaves, or other shapes to decorate, if you like (see tip, below). Arrange any pastry shapes on top, then brush with the beaten egg.

  5. Bake for 50 mins, keeping an eye on it – you may need to cover the top with foil if it’s starting to brown too quickly. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before serving.

Suggested recipes from this collection...