Made with a regional cheese, this humble and homely Lancashire cheese and onion plate pie, is full of flavour and comfort.
What can be better homecooked food than a pie? Even a simple pie like this Lancashire cheese and potato pie, knocks socks off any ready bought pie and this one is packed with flavour from the delicious lancashire cheese, it’s cheap and economical too so makes a great mid-week meal.
I recently saw a discussion online about what makes a pie a pie. The original poster asking is it a pie if it doesn’t have a pastry base and lid? Should it be called pot pie if it only has a pastry lid?
Then again there are dishes such as lemon meringue or banoffee pie that are called pie and well aren’t in the sense of what most people think are pies at least here in the UK.
I know when I think of pie the first thing that pops into my mind is a dish with a sweet or savoury filling between two layers of pastry. Only after that do the other forms of pie spring to mind.
I find deep pies can be quite tricky to make with a pastry top and bottom although I do have a couple of old enamel pie dishes that produce quite a good result. They also take rather a lot of filling.
A plate pie is a great compromise. The shallower depth of a pie plate makes it easier to line with pastry. Don’t worry, there is still plenty of filling between the pastry layers.
As the name suggests it is a pie that has been made in a pie plate. It can be any ovenproof plate so long as it has a bit of a bowl and is not completely flat. Pyrex casserole lids can make a great pie plate.
Cheese and onion pie is a classic English pie. You can use different cheeses – cheddar is a popular choice but I have found that the cooked onions are just divine when teamed with a lovely tangy and crumbly cheese such as Lancashire.
As someone who loves to shop and buy local produce whenever I can, If you like this pie then I encourage you to also try making it with a cheese local to you.
A few potatoes complete the filling for this traditional pie.
Traditionally savoury shortcrust pastry is made with with a 50/50 mixture of butter and lard. The lard gives the pastry a lovely crumbly short texture. But if you want this to be vegetarian you will need to either use all butter or a white vegetable fat in place of the lard.
And if time is short (excuse the pun then you could always use a shop-bought, ready-made shortcrust pastry).
Either way, this traditional pie is just perfect for colder days when comfort food is the order of the day.
For tips on making short crust pastry read How to Make Short Crust Pastry .
More Vegetarian Pie Recipes To Try
Lancashire Cheese and Onion Plate Pie Step by step
Cook Potatoes until tender, Fry the onions until softened. Place the flour and fat in a mixing bowl. Rub in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough water to form a dough. Roll out pastry and use to line a pie plate. Place half the cheese in the pastry case. Add the Potatoes and Onions. Trim pastry and press edges together to seal. Brush pastry with milk or egg to glaze. Bake until golden. Cool Slightly then serve.
Lancashire Cheese and Onion Plate Pie
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 200 g (7oz) potatoes (about 2 medium potataoes)
- 1-2 red onions
- knob of butter
- 2 tsp olive or rapeseed oil
- 175 g (6oz) Lancashire cheese
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Pastry
- 225 g (8oz) plain flour plus extra for rolling
- 50 g (2oz) butter chilled cut into cubes
- 50 g (2oz) lard or white vegetable fat cut into cubes
- 3 – 5 tbsp cold water
- milk for glazing
Special Equipment
- 20cm (8in) pie plate
- Rolling Pin
Instructions
- Peel 200g (7oz) potatoes and cut into 2cm (1in) cubes. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Salt the water and cook the potatoes gently for about 10 minutes or until there is no resistance when a sharp knife is inserted. Strain the potatoes and set aside to cool.
- Thinly slice 1-2 red onions. Place a knob of butter and 2 tsp of oil into the frying pan and set over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions to the frying pan. Reduce the heat and cook the onions slowly until translucent and soft about 15 minutes. Once cooked tip onto a sheet of kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil.
- Meanwhile, make the pastry. Place the 225g (8oz)flour, 50g (2oz) butter and 50g (2oz) lard or vegetable fat into bowl and rub in the fat with your finger tips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
- Make a well in the centre and add the water, a little at a time. Using a rounded pallet knife, or similar, cut through the mixture to make a dough. You may not need all of the water. Bring the dough together with your hands and shape into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in cling film and place into the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ (180℃ fan)/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Cut the pastry into two equal pieces and roll out one piece and use to line the base of the pie plate. Roll out the remaining pastry for the pie lid.
- Combine the cooked potatoes with the onions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Grate 175g (6oz) Lancashire cheese and place half of the grated cheese into the pastry case. Add the potato and onion mixture. Top with the remaining cheese.
- Using a pastry brush, paint the edge of the pastry with a little milk. Use a rolling pin to lift the rolled out pastry and lay over the filled pie plate. gently press the edges together to seal and trim away the excess pastry. Brush the top with a little milk and cut a small slit in the middle to allow steam to escape.
- Bake the pie in the oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until the pastry is cooked through and a beautiful golden colour. You may need to rotate the pie halfway through the bake. Remove from the oven once cooked and allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting into it and serving.
Notes
No time to make it now – Pin for later
Robyn
Just made this for my Bolton husband – a firm favourite! I am not normally a fan of Lancashire cheese, it’s a bit crumbly and soggy, but it works amazingly in this pie! Will definitely be making again.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine
I’m so pleased you and your husband enjoyed it and will be making it again. Thank you for taking the time to pop over and rate the recipe it’s always nice to read good feed back 🙂 Its an early recipe on Only Crumbs and the photos are not very good but as you say the recipe is which is the main thing. So I will be reshooting the recipe again too as they dont do it justice.
Steph @MisplacedBrit
WOW! Talk about a thick creamy filling! Great job… Mr M is always after me baking delicious 'pub food', this will have to be the next one 🙂
Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thanks Steph, it really hit the spot. There's something so comforting about 'pub food' isn't there. It probably looks more creamy than it actually is given there the filling is simply onions, cheese and potatoes. Do tweet me an image if you give it a go 🙂
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Pie season is definitely here! There is nothing better than a hot pie on a cold evening covered in gravy! This looks lovely x #CookBlogShare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
You're so right there Kirsty,
Thanks for popping by and commenting, and of course for hosting,
Angela x
Honest Mum
wow this looks delicious and so comforting. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Honest Mum
wow this looks delicious and so comforting. Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Thank you Vicki, it was just what the doctor ordered in this colder weather!
You're welcome, but thank you for hosting,
Angela x
Sarah James
Yum, perfect comfort food Angela. Frying onions are OH's favourite food smell too, it reminds him of hotdogs and onions at the fair. I like to make shortcrust pastry with Trex too, I think it's the low water content that makes it so good for pastry, works wonders for my mince pies at Christmas x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Ah, thank you Sarah, I've learnt something new there. I'd not thought of using it in my mince pies, I had really only considered using it for savoury bakes – though there again our Christmas minced pies are were made from meat once upon a time.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Laura Powell-Corbett
I'm not a fan pf cheese so would you believe I have never ever had cheese and onion pie! My dad used to make it though so it's got some wonderful memories. #cookblogshare
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
Oh Laura, how can you not be a fan of cheese 😉 Think we've got 4 different types in fridge at moment. I must say I don't care for the veined ones etc. I love how powerful food and food smells are at bringing back fond memories.
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Rebecca Beesley
what a warming pie – looks amazing! x
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
That's Rebecca, it was a great choice by Mr E now that the weather is getting a little colder!
Thanks for popping by and commenting,
Angela x
Jasmin Charlotte
I loooove cheese and onion pie, my grandma makes it for me whenever I go to Manchester, it's such a nice comfort food! x
Jasmin Charlotte
Angela - Only Crumbs Remain
It's delicious isn't it. I'm intrigued to know, does your Grandma use Lancashire Cheese also given that she lives in Manchester?
Thanks for popping by and commenting Jasmin,
Angela x