Cheese and onion pasties

Name: Cheese and onion pasties
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Makes 4 large pasties
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 40g unsalted butter; 1 medium brown onion, finely diced; 1 medium waxy potato (about 250g), cut into 1cm dice; 200g cheddar, grated (we used half hafod, half montgomery’s, but anything strong and sharp will do); 2-3 tbsp double cream (optional); For the pastry; 300g plain flour, plus extra to dust; 1 tsp salt; 200g cold unsalted butter, cubed; 1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten; 40ml milk; 2 tsp white wine vinegar; 1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze; You’ll also need; Large baking tray lined with compostable baking paper

By: Thea Everett
Deputy editor (audiences), delicious.

Published: 28 Apr 21
Updated: 26 Apr 24

Test kitchen approved

A cheese and onion pasty is a classic. We love serving them for dinner, with homemade chips and baked beans – a plate of orange food at its finest. But you could just as easily enjoy yours with a quick pickle on a picnic, as they taste great hot or cold. However you eat them, we recommend a good shake of malt vinegar.

After something meatier? Try our Cornish beef pasties.

Makes 4 large pasties
Hands-on time 30 min, plus chilling. Oven time 30 min

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Ingredients

40g unsalted butter
1 medium brown onion, finely diced
1 medium waxy potato (about 250g), cut into 1cm dice
200g cheddar, grated (we used half hafod, half montgomery’s, but anything strong and sharp will do)
2-3 tbsp double cream (optional)

For the pastry

300g plain flour, plus extra to dust
1 tsp salt
200g cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
40ml milk
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

You’ll also need

Large baking tray lined with compostable baking paper

Method

To make the pastry, put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub in the cubed butter between your thumbs and forefingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg, milk, and vinegar using a table knife. Using your hands, work the mixture until it comes together to form a dough – it should be soft but not sticky. Shape the dough into a ball on a flour-dusted work surface, flatten into a disc and cover in cling film. Set aside in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to rest (see Make Ahead).
For the filling, melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, covered for 10 minutes until softened. Stir regularly and add a little water if they start to look dry. Add the potato to the onions and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Heat the oven to 180ºC fan/gas 6. Divide the pastry into 4 equal pieces. Roll out one piece on a lightly floured surface to form a circle roughly 4-5mm thick (keep the rest of the pastry wrapped in the fridge).
Stir the cheddar and cream (if using) through the cooled potato mixture, season with a good pinch of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper (you want the mix to be heavily seasoned). Pile a quarter of the cooled filling on one half of the pastry, leaving a 3cm border around the edge. Brush the edges with a little beaten egg, then fold the other half over and press to enclose the filling. Crimp the edges of the pastry and place on a large, lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling. Brush the pasties with the egg, poke with a fork so steam can escape, then bake for 25-30 minutes until golden (see Make Ahead)
Serve the pasties, hot from the oven with chips and baked beans, or your favourite pickle if you like.

Recipe from May 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 1034kcals
Fat: 71.1g (43.5g saturated)
Protein: 25.9g
Carbohydrates: 70.4g (3.6g sugars),
Fibre: 4.7g
Salt: 3.4g

delicious. tips

To make the pastry in a food processor, at step 1, put the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of a food processor and whizz until the mix resembles fine breadcrumbs. With the motor running, add the milk and white wine vinegar and stop as soon as it comes together in a rough dough.

For an extra golden pastry, you can carefully glaze the pasties again at the 20 minute mark then pop back in the oven for the final 5-10 minutes of cooking time.

Montgomery cheddar and hafod are not vegetarian cheeses but there are plenty of vegetarian cheddars available to use instead. Check the label.
The pastry can be made in advance. Keep well wrapped in the fridge for 1-2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature then proceed with the recipe from step 2. Cooked pasties will keep for several days, stored in an airtight container. Reheat in a low over for 10-15 minutes until piping hot and crispy.

Open freeze the uncooked pasties on a tray for 1-2 hours, then pack into freezer bags and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook from frozen, cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
The pastry needs to be cold and the filling fully cooled before you begin to assemble the pasties. Keep the pastry wrapped in the fridge, taking one piece out at a time to assemble.

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