Welsh Onion Cake Food

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Heat about a quarter of the butter in a large pan, set over a medium heat. Sweat the onions with a little salt and the rosemary sprig. Slowly cook on a gentle heat with a lid on for about 20 mins. Remove rosemary and set aside.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Peel the potatoes and immediately cut into wafer-thin slices directly into a bowl containing the rest of the warm butter. Season with salt and pepper. The thinner the potatoes, the better the dish will be. Do not wash them once they are sliced, as you want all of the starch to stick the potatoes together.
• Line an ovenproof, non-stick frying pan with a round of baking parchment. Layer potatoes neatly into the dish in a circle, slightly overlapping. The bottom of the pan will become the presentation side. Continue to pile in half of the potatoes, then add the melted onions. On top of the onions continue with the potatoes until all used up. Set the pan over a medium heat and gently begin to colour the bottom of the dish for 5 mins, then transfer to the oven and cook for 45-50 mins until the potatoes are soft.
• Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 mins. Invert onto a serving plate, then slice into wedges with a very sharp knife.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Grease a 7 inch souffle dish and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom and then a layer of onions, dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Repeat the layers, finishing off with potatoes. Brush with butter and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Serve hot.

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• First pre-heat your oven to around 180 degrees fan / Gas Mark 6. BUT, if you are already using your oven to roast your Sunday lunch, just maintain that temperature - this Welsh onion cake is hardy and can cope with whatever temperature you throw at it!
• Firstly slice all of your potatoes as thinly as you can (but don't worry yourself too much if they are a bit thick - I don't use a mandolin or anything like that). I don't peel my potatoes either - it's up to you if you want to.
• Slice your onions thinly and grate your cheese.
• Generously butter your dish.
• Layer your buttered dish with a layer of potatoes (I use up the halves and scraps of potato for this bottom layer, which won't really be seen).
• Add a layer of sliced onions and some grated cheese, then season with salt and pepper.
• Repeat with more layers of potato, onion, cheese and seasoning (I normally get 2 layers of each plus a final one of potatoes).
• Try to save the nicest looking whole slices of potato to top the dish, as this will be the layer you see when you take the dish to the table (if you care about that kind of thing!).
• Top the Welsh onion cake with a few knobs of butter and cover loosely with tin foil.
• Bake for one hour covered, and then for a further 30 minutes uncovered, leaving you with soft potatoes and onions underneath a buttery, crispy layer of potatoes (my favourite bit).

WELSH ONION CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Heat about 1/4 of the butter in a large pan, set over medium heat.
• 2. Sweat the onions with a little salt and the rosemary sprig. Slowly cook on a gentle heat with a lid on for about 20 minutes. Remove rosemary and set aside.
• 3. Grease an oven proof dish and on the bottom of the dish, place a thick layer of potatoes, well seasoned with salt and pepper.
• 4. Add a layer of onions.
• 5. Dot each layer with butter and thyme (if using), and repeat this again, or until the dish is full, ending with a layer of potatoes.
• 6. The top layer should also be dotted with butter, using more than given above, if necessary. Cover with a lid or foil and bake in a moderate oven (350F.) for about one and a half hours, removing the lid for the last half hour.
• 7. Note: The variety of potato makes it difficult to give a precise cooking time: very floury ones can cook in 1 hour where as waxy ones will take longer. If using the cheese, sprinkle a little bit on each layer.