Supper Onion Pie

I like the idea of supper. It makes me think of Noel Coward plays and sophisticated, well-dressed characters swanning about it elegant surroundings, sipping cocktails and engaging in witty repartee. Apart from that, supper is a good excuse for having people over and can be a lot more spontaneous and informal than a dinner party. You can fit in other activities like going to the theatre or after-work drinks. And you only have to prepare one course.

I wrote out this recipe for Supper Onion Pie from a borrowed copy of Nigella Lawson's How to Be a Domestic Goddess. The pie base is a scone dough with the addition of grated Gruyere cheese. There is no rolling or rising involved so it's very easy to prepare.

The instructions say to cook the onions over a medium heat but take care not to brown them. You want them soft and translucent. Gruyere is an excellent cheese for melting although it's a little hard to come by in most supermarkets. There aren't too many substitutes for it though so it's worth trekking down in a deli.

See the flecks of cheese? In fact the pie is prepared like a tarte Tatin in that the onions and some of the grated cheese are placed in the pie dish before laying the pie dough over the top. Once the dough is cooked you invert the dish onto a serving plate so the pie lid now becomes the base. The onions mould into the dish and hold their shape beautifully. Until you cut it. But no matter, the smell of the melted cheese is very distracting.

The pie serves four (for supper, or two-three for a more substantial dinner). Serve with a little green salad and a glass of acidic white wine such as sauvignon blanc or Sancerre.

Supper Onion Pie (from How to Be a Domestic Goddess, by Nigella Lawson)

Serves 4

For the topping

4 red onions

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 heaped tablespoon butter

4 sprigs thyme

150g Gruyere cheese, grated

For the scone dough

250g plain flour

1 scant teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

100ml milk

40g butter, melted

1 scant teaspoon English mustard (I used prepared, but I think it's supposed to be powdered)

1 large egg, beaten

Grease a 24cm ceramic pie dish with some additional melted butter. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Peel the onions, cut in half and then cut each half into four segments. Add the oil and butter to a large pan and cook the onions over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season well and add the thyme leaves. Turn the onions into the pie dish and scatter over about one third of the grated cheese. Set aside.

Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl with the remaining cheese. 

Pour the milk into a jug, add the melted butter, mustard and beaten egg. Mix well before pouring into the flour mixture. Mix with a fork or your hands. It will be quite sticky. Tip out onto a floured work surface and press into a circle the size of the pie dish. Transfer to the dish, pressing it down to seal the edges.

Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 degrees and continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the crust is golden. Stand for a couple of minutes. Cover with a large plate and invert the pie dish. Remove the dish and serve. 

Menu

Supper Onion Pie

Green salad with hazelnut oil and sherry vinegar dressing

Wine

Sancerre or sauvignon blanc