APPLE, CHEESE & POTATO PIE

Autumn is finally here and as much as I enjoyed the late summer sunshine September had to offer, I’m now looking forward to cosy nights in and indulging in some of my favourite comfort foods and top of this list is a glorious pie.

Pies are a topic I’ve covered a few times in this column but the truth is, I never get tired of them. With so many filling and pastry/topping combinations the possibilities are endless.

Here are a few you may not have tried before, in a pie at least! Give one a go this weekend – they’ll warm you up from the inside.

Put a savoury twist on apple pie with potato, cheese and onion, as well as mustard and thyme. The sweet and savoury flavours create a stunning pie

30g salted butter

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large onions, halved and finely sliced

½ bunch of thyme, leaves picked 30g plain flour

500ml vegetable stock

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

450g potatoes (we used Maris Piper), cut into 2-3cm chunks 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-2cm chunks

150g mature cheddar, grated

FOR THE PASTRY

300g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

70g cheddar, grated

150g cold butter, cut into cubes

1 egg, beaten

First, make the pastry. Tip the flour, cheese and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix. Add the butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Mix in 4-5 tbsp cold water, and bring together into a dough. Wrap and chill for 30 mins.

To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat, then add the oil and onions. Cook for 10-15 mins until caramelised. Add the thyme and fry for 1 min more. Tip in the flour and stir to combine. Gradually stir in the stock, adding it in small amounts to prevent lumps forming. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in the mustard and vinegar towards the end of the cooking time.

Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 4-5 mins until just cooked and still holding their shape. Drain well, then stir into the sauce. Add the apples, cheddar and some seasoning, and stir again. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Pour the filling into a 28cm oval baking dish (ours was 28 x 18.5 x 6.5cm). While it cools, roll out the pastry on a surface lightly dusted with flour to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut into strips roughly

1cm wide. Lay half the strips across the dish horizontally, leaving gaps of a few millimetres in-between, then, one by one, weave in the remaining strips vertically, using an over and under technique, also spacing them apart by a few millimetres. Re-roll any trimmings and cut into flowers, leaves, or other shapes to decorate, if you like. Arrange any pastry shapes on top, then brush with the beaten egg.

Bake for 50 mins, keeping an eye on it. You may need to cover the top with foil if it’s starting to brown too quickly. Leave to cool for at least 10 mins before serving.