Sandham’s cheese and onion pie

Yellow welly-wearing cheesemaker, Chris Sandham of Rostock Dairy in Lancashire uses milk from the herd here at Low Sizergh to create three award-winning kinds of cheese: Kendal Creamy, Kendal Crumbly, and Kendal Crumbly with Red Onion. They take pride of place in our farm shop cheese counter. Kendal Creamy is also the star ingredient in Chris’s recipe for a tasty family pie (serves 4).

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FILLING INGREDIENTS

800g Kendal Creamy grated
240g Chopped onion
200ml Water
2 Tspn butter
A pinch of salt
A pinch of white pepper

METHOD

Place the onions, water and butter in a pan and bring to the boil then season with the salt and pepper
Allow to cook until just tender then remove from the heat and cool
Drain the liquid off when cold
Keep the cheese to one side and add when assembling the pie

SHORT CRUST PASTRY

200g Plain flour
100g Butter
3 Egg yolks
Salt
Water to bind

METHOD

Sieve the flour into a bowl with the salt and rub down the butter until crumb consistency
Make a well and add the eggs and a little water and mix together until a smooth paste is formed
Cling film and refrigerate until needed

ASSEMBLY

Roll out the pastry to the required thickness
Line the base of a pie tin with pastry and add alternate layers of grated Lancashire cheese and the onion mix until pie is full
Cover with a pastry lid and brush with egg wash
Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes until golden