British Cheese and Onion Pasty

Flaky pastry filled with cheese, onion and a little potato.

INGREDIENTS

For homemade pastry:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons (150 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out pastry
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (200 grams) unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch cubes kept refrigerated until ready to use
⅔ cup (150 ml) cold water (approximately)

For the filling:
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into chunks (you need to yield 1 cup/225 grams of mash)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 ½ cups yellow onion, chopped
3 cups (184 grams) white cheddar, grated
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, defrosted
1 egg, whisked with a little milk

Method

1. For the pastry (skip this step if using puff pastry):
2. To a bowl, add the flour and salt. Mix well. Add the butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until you get an even breadcrumb look. Drizzle in cold water while mixing. Knead until elastics. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Add the potato to a large pan and cover with water, Boil for 12-15 minutes until soft when pierced with a fork, drain and mash.
4. While the potato cooks, add the oil and butter to a frying pan over medium heat. When the butter bubbles, add the onion and cook, stirring until softened. Remove and transfer to a mixing bowl along with the mashed potato and cheese, mix well. You want soft creamy mash, not crumbly. If it is too dry, add a little warm milk. Taste and add salt if needed.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
6. Roll out the the pastry large enough to cut out 7-inch (18 cm) circles. Add 3 heaped tablespoons of filling to each. Brush half of the edge with the egg wash and fold over the pastry to make a half circle. Use a fork to press and seal the edge. Transfer to the baking sheet.
7. Brush all pasties with the egg/milk wash. Cut 2 slits in the tops of each.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. Time will vary depending on your oven.