Simon Hopkinson’s cheese and onion pie

Serves 4-6
250g self-raising flour
60g cold butter, diced
60g cold trex (or lard, diced)
Salt
2–3 tbsp iced water
3 medium onions
25g butter
250-300g cheese, ideally Lancashire, but cheddar or young pecorino romano works too
Black or white pepper
Milk, for sealing and glazing

1 You will need a loose-bottomed tart tin, about 20cm wide x 4cm deep. Alternatively you could cope with a rectangular tin and nerves of steel for the turning out and turning over. Make the pastry by rubbing the fat into the flour with your fingertips, or pulsing with a food processor, until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Add a pinch of salt and enough iced water – gradually and cautiously – to make a ball of dough, neither too sticky, nor too firm. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes.

2 Peel, half and slice the onion into half moons. In a frying pan, melt the butter over a low flame, then add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring for a few minutes. Add a small glass of water and then cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes until the water has been driven away and the onion is very soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Grate the cheese.

3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Roll out ⅔ of the pastry and use it to line the base and sides of the tin, so it overhangs slightly. Do not trim yet, but prick the base with a fork. Make a layer with half the onion, grind over a little black pepper, then make a layer using half the cheese. Repeat. Paint the edges of the dough with milk. Roll the remaining dough into a circle a little larger than the tin, lay it over the filling and then press it firmly into the edges. Trim the excess dough away. Make three short slashes in the middle of the pie to let steam escape. If you you like, use the non-blade side of a knife to make a faint lattice.

4 Sit the pie on a preheated baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until golden and the cheese is bubbling gently through the slashes. Allow the pie to sit for 30 minutes before turning it out