Cheddar Cheese Shallot Pie With Fennel Seed Pastry Food

CHEDDAR CHEESE APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the crust: In a food processor, mix the flour, sugar, and salt and blend for 5 seconds. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the dough looks like fine meal. Add the cheese and pulse 5 times. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and sprinkle with 5 tablespoons of ice water. Use a fork to fluff the mixture until moist clumps form. Add more ice water by the tablespoonful if the mixture is dry. Gather the dough into a ball and divide in half. Shape each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the cornstarch and sugar, making sure there are no lumps in the cornstarch. Mix in the apples, lemon juice, zest, and salt.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 of the dough disks into a 13-inch round. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch diameter deep-dish glass pie dish and brush the overhang with water. Pour the filling into the dough-lined dish and dot it with the 2 tablespoons butter. On the same lightly floured surface, roll out the second dough disk into a 12-inch round. Place the dough on top of the filling. Press the overhang of the bottom and top dough pieces together to seal. Cut the overhang to 1/2-inch. Fold the overhang under and crimp decoratively, forming a high-standing rim. Cut 3 (2-inch) slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake the pie until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cover the crust edge with foil and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake the pie until the filling bubbles thickly in the center, about 30 minutes. Cool pie on a rack for 1 hour.

CHEDDAR-TOPPED SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
• Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
• Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

CHEDDAR CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Bake pie crust for 10 minutes.
• Mix eggs, cream, cheese & scallions in a large bowl and pour into the prepared pie crust.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the toasted nuts on top of the pie and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Let cool and enjoy.

CHEDDAR PIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Pulse flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. Drizzle 1/4 cup water evenly over mixture. Pulse until mixture just begins to hold together (dough should not be wet or sticky). If dough is too dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse. Add cheese; pulse until combined.
• Shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes or up to overnight. Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw before using.

CHEDDAR CHEESE & SHALLOT PIE WITH FENNEL SEED PASTRY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. First, make the filling. Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for 10-15 mins until a knife is easily inserted but the potatoes still hold their shape.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Slowly sweat the shallots and spring onions with a pinch of salt until softened, stirring occasionally, about 10-12 mins. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs, cream, thyme, cheese and some seasoning. Set aside.
• To make the pastry, melt the butter with 100ml water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Tip the rest of the pastry ingredients and 1 / 2 tsp salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the butter. Stir with a wooden spoon, then bring together with your hands, kneading lightly for a few mins.
• Grease a large 20-26cm pie dish. On a lightly dusted work surface, roll out two-thirds of the pastry big enough to fill the base and sides of your dish. Use the remaining pastry to roll out a lid.
• Add the potato and shallot mixture to the beaten egg filling, and spoon into your pastry case. Cover with the pastry lid and crimp the edges decoratively.
• Finally, beat the egg yolk with the milk and glaze the pie. Poke a couple of small steam holes in the top, chill for 10 mins, then bake in the oven for 40-45 mins.