thebigfatnoodle

Pork and apple in a cheese and onion pie (serves six)

To make the pastry

340 grams plain flour, sifted

Pinch of salt

170 grams (cold) butter, cut into little pieces

3-4 tablespoons of cold water

Rub the cold butter into the flour until you get fine breadcrumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of cold water to bring the pastry together into a ball. If it’s still crumbly, add another 1 or 2 more tablespoons of water. As soon as you can get all the pastry together into a ball, stop kneading and wrap up the pastry with cling film and put it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

For the filling

1 cooked and peeled potato (about 150 grams) cut into little pieces

1-2 apples (120 grams), peeled, cored and cut into little pieces

10 gram of butter

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

200 grams of extra mature cheddar, grated

4 tablespoons double cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme

6 pork sausages, skin removed and roughly torn into pieces

½ teaspoon chilli powder

½ teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

Salt and pepper for seasoning

1 beaten egg for glazing

Preheat your oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

First, brown your sausage meat in a saucepan – you shouldn’t need any oil as the sausage meat should release enough oil for you to brown the meat off nicely. Transfer the browned meat into a large mixing bowl and leave aside.

In the same saucepan, heat the butter and fry your chopped onions over a gentle heat until they turn translucent. Add your worcestershire sauce and once the onions are softened, allow them to cool before adding to your mixing bowl.

Mix all your other ingredients (apart from the beat egg) with the sausage and onions. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper.

Divide your dough into 2 balls, one slightly larger than the other.

Roll out your pastry and place the larger piece into your pie dish. Don’t worry if your pastry splits or breaks, just use your fingers to press the dough back together again.

Place your filling into your pie case and then top it with your second piece of rolled out pastry. Crimp the edges and baste the top with beaten egg.

Bake your pie in the oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden.