Rustic cheese onion and potato hand pies with buttery puff pastry are a comforting and flavourful addition to Bilbo’s pantry as he prepares a feast for his unexpected party of Dwarves!
An Unexpected Feast
Bilbo Baggins’ world is turned upside down one ordinary morning when he is visited after breakfast by the wandering wizard Gandalf. Despite having fond childhood memories of the wizard, Bilbo is uncomfortable during the meeting, particularly at the suggestion of an adventure. A hasty invitation to tea, meant to send Gandalf on his way, has the unexpected consequence of sending Bilbo on the first of many life changing adventures.
The following day Gandalf keeps his appointment and brings with him a company of 13 dwarves. As the dwarves descend upon Bag End, one by one, they begin to call out their food orders. From drinks to savouries to sweets, Gandalf, Thorin, and company prove to have voracious and hearty appetites. Luckily for the dwarves, Bilbo’s pantry is well-stocked and their unexpected feast turns out to be quite the lavish and indulgent feast!
Pies and cheese
As the unexpected party grows and more food orders are shouted out, Bofur joins in with his request for mince pies and cheese. While it’s certain that Bofur is requesting a traditional mincemeat pie with its classic sweet and spiced fruit filling, we have gone a savoury route in order to include his request for cheese.
With a golden pastry crust and creamy filling, cheese and onion pie is a popular British snack. Potatoes are sometimes added to cheese and onion pies which makes for a hearty and filling pie. Tender sautéed onions, sharp cheddar cheese, and boiled potatoes are blended with a splash of heavy cream and a spoonful of mustard in these savoury pies. With a flaky, buttery crust, these cheese, onion, and potato hand pies are hearty enough to satisfy a dwarf sized appetite!
“And mince-pies and cheese,” said Bofur.
-The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien (Chapter 1: An Unexpected Party)
For a more traditional take, our recipe for Mincemeat Pies can be found in our Hobbit’s Yuletide Feast ebook.
Ingredients
Cheese: A sharp English white cheddar is the perfect cheese for these traditional savoury hand pies. You could substitute with another cheese if you prefer but I recommend finding one that has good melting properties. Creamy Lancashire cheese would be a great alternative.
Onions: Regular yellow onions work perfectly in this recipe. I like to sauté the onions until tender but before they caramelize and become too sweet. This way they still keep a bit of their sharpness without the harshness of raw onion.
Potatoes: I prefer the creamy texture of a yellow flesh potato, such as Yukon Gold, which blends beautifully with the melted cheese. However, russet potatoes would also work if you prefer.
Puff pastry: I like to use pre-made, frozen puff pastry in this recipe. If possible, buy frozen puff pastry that is already rolled into sheets. There are a couple of brands that sell blocks of puff pastry dough, but I find that they don’t roll out as evenly, especially around the edges. The pre-formed puff pastry sheets are all ready to go and easy to use.
When using puff pastry, it is important to keep the pastry cold. Those hundreds of flaky layers are created by repeatedly folding the dough to create ultra-thin layers of fat in the dough. If the dough becomes too warm, then the fat layers could soften and squish together and, well, your puff pastry won’t puff! So be sure to thaw the pastry in the fridge rather than on the counter.
How to Make Cheese Onion and Potato Hand Pie
Cook the potatoes and onions
Peel and finely dice the potatoes into roughly 1/2-inch cubes. Add the potatoes to a saucepan of water and place over high heat. Add a generous pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain and allow the potatoes to cool down before adding to the filling. You can spread the potatoes onto a plate and refrigerate to speed up the cooling process.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onions. Place a large non-stick skillet over medium low heat. Add the butter along with the onions and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Sauté the onions just until they are tender to the bite but before they begin to brown. Cool the onions before adding to the filling. You can spread the onions onto a plate and refrigerate to speed up the cooling process.
Make the filling
In a small bowl, combine the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, flour, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth and there are no lumps. In a mixing bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, onions, and shredded cheese. Pour in the cream mixture and stir until well mixed.
Assemble the hand pies
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and a splash of water to make an egg wash. Take out 1 sheet of puff pastry and unroll onto a lightly floured counter. Lightly dust the puff pastry with flour and gently roll it into a square slightly bigger than the preformed sheet. Cut the sheet into six rectangles (3 pieces x 2 pieces).
Brush the edges of each rectangle with the egg wash and top with some of the filling (about 1/12th of the filling mixture). Spread the filling out onto the puff pastry making sure to leave a small border on all sides. Take out a 2nd sheet of puff pastry and gently roll it out to match the first sheet. Cut into six rectangles (3 pieces x 2 pieces). Cover each rectangle with a piece of pastry and press the edges together. Use a fork to crimp the edges of each pie. Repeat with the remaining 2 sheets of puff pastry.
Bake the hand pies
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange the hand pies on the baking sheets, fitting six per sheet if possible. Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash. Use a sharp knife to cut 3 slits in top of each pie.
Bake the pies for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If you’re baking two baking sheets at one time, rotate the pans after 15 minutes to prevent the pies on the bottom baking sheet from getting too dark. Let cool briefly before serving. Enjoy!
