Showing posts with label pies and bakes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pies and bakes. Show all posts
One very well known and beloved bake shop in the U.K. is Greggs. They serve hot drinks, toast, sandwiches and are very well known and loved for their puff pastry bakes. Cheese and onion, sausage rolls, steak bakes, etc.
People love LOVE their puff pastry goodies. They are served piping hot in a paper bag that you can roll down and eat from. The perfect food for anyone on the go!
I always loved their Cheese and Onion Bakes. I would rather have had one of those than anything else on their menu. They were delicious, and actually a great Vegetarian option if one were so inclined.
I don't know why but lately I have been missing and really craving some of my British loves and favorites. First it was the Cheese & Onion Sandwiches the other day and today its the Cheese and Onion Bakes.
Cheese and Onion are a real favorite British flavor combination and no small wonder. It is a delicious combo. They even have Cheese and Onion Crisps (potato chips) which were a favorite of mine also. Those I can buy. The other options are things I will have to make for myself.
I found this tasty recipe for these Cheese and Onion Bakes on a blog called Hungry Healthy Happy. They looked and sounded really good. Like the real thing just about.
Today I decided to make myself some, with excellent results. I did cut the recipe in half, as there is only one of me, and to be honest, even at a half size, each bake was more than ample. I shared one with my sister and her husband and I have kept and enjoyed one myself. If you are wanting to make more than two bakes do check out the original recipe.
These are lovely. Flaky, crisp, with a beautifully flavored filling that is just as good as the original Greggs Bake, if not better. A bit more work than just popping into the shop to pick one up readymade, but well worth any extra effort taken!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESE AND ONION BAKE (GREGGS COPYCAT)
A few simple ingredients and one sheet of all butter puff pastry. Simple.
- 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry (mine was 10 inches square in size)
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and very finely diced (100g)
- 1 small onion, peeled and very finely diced
- 2/3 cup (75g) strong cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 TBS English Mustard
- pinch of sea salt and a healthy grinding of black pepper
- parsley flakes to taste (optional)
- 1 large free range egg, beaten with a fork, divided
Here in Canada I use the PC All Butter Puff Pastry that comes in the frozen aisle of the grocery store. There are two sheet per package, each one being 10-inches square. You will need one sheet to make two square pasties.
Make sure you peel and dice your potato and onion very finely. Mine were in about a 1/4 inch dice. This was the perfect size for these.
Use a mature/strong cheddar cheese with lots of flavor. I used some of the Tickler Mature cheddar that I had bought the other day.
English mustard is much hotter than North American mustard. If you don't have English Mustard you may want to add some dry mustard powder to make up a bit of heat. Cheddar cheese really loves a bit of heat and spice such as mustard or cayenne.
Don't be scared to add lots of black pepper as well, for the same reason. You know how much you will enjoy. Don't go overboard either, but you will want to taste it.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESE AND ONION BAKE (GREGGS COPYCAT)
These really aren't all that difficult to make and are worth any bit of effort as they are fabulously tasty!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
Put the potato, onion, cheese, English mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl, adding parsley flakes as desired to give a bit of color.
Add 1/2 of the beaten egg. Mix well together. Beat the remaining half egg with 1/2 tsp of cold water and set aside.
Cut your puff pastry into 4 equal sized squares. Brush a bit of the egg wash around the edges of two of them.
Divide the potato/cheese filling between the two squares with the egg washed edges, piling it in the middle and leaving the edges free.
Place the other two puff pastry squares on top to cover the filling completely and crimp around the edges with a fork to seal the filling completely in.
Place onto the prepared baking tray and brush the tops with more of the egg wash. Using a sharp knife cut several slits in the top to vent.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes before eating as the filling will be very hot.
HINTS AND TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST BAKES
Here are a few hints and tips to help the process go smoother!
- Keep your pastry in the fridge until the last minute. If your pastry gets too warm it will be hard to work with. Make your filling before you are ready to fill the bakes. At the same time don't use your pastry too cold, or it will crack when you unroll it.
- Don't overstuff the pasties. Over-stuffing will make them hard to seal.
- Season these generously with black pepper. You don't want to use too much salt as the cheese can be salty.
- Make sure you dice your potato and your onion really small so that they cook thoroughly in the cook-time as per the recipe and do not remain raw.
- English mustard is known for being really hot. If you can't get English Mustard use a good Dijon and perhaps add a bit of mustard powder to add some more heat.
Everyone in my family loves pastry in any way shape or form, especially puff pastry. Here are some other ways that I have used it that you might also enjoy!
.jpg "Sausage Rolls")
SAUSAGE ROLLS - This is a recipe for sausage rolls that I got from my good friend Joy about 16 years ago. They are really delicious. Nice and flaky puff pastry, filled with a delicious sausage meat filling. Very popular as a nibble or finger food at parties and a must during the holidays. Delicious anytime!
.JPG "Blueberry Cheesecake Danish")
BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE DANISH - Danishes are a quick and easy brunch dish or dessert that always go down a real treat with everyone. Not only can you make them well ahead of time, but they always look so pretty sitting on a plate. These are exceptionally delicious with sugar cinnamon puff pastry twists, topped a lovely rich cheesecake filling which has had blueberry jam swirled into it. Baked and topped with a drizzle glaze and toasted almonds.
Yield: 2
Cheese and Onion Bake (Greggs Copycat)
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 50 Min
This is a small batch recipe for a cheese and onion pasty which tastes exactly like the ones you get at Greggs Bake Shop in the U.K. It may even be more delicious! This is a small batch recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of all butter puff pastry (mine was 10 inches square in size)
- 1 medium russet potato, peeled and very finely diced (100g)
- 1 small onion, peeled and very finely diced
- 2/3 cup (75g) strong cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 TBS English Mustard
- pinch of sea salt and a healthy grinding of black pepper
- parsley flakes to taste (optional)
- 1 large free range egg, beaten with a fork, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
- Put the potato, onion, cheese, English mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl, adding parsley flakes as desired to give a bit of color.
- Add 1/2 of the beaten egg. Mix well together. Beat the remaining half egg with 1/2 tsp of cold water and set aside.
- Cut your puff pastry into 4 equal sized squares. Brush a bit of the egg wash around the edges of two of them.
- Divide the potato/cheese filling between the two squares with the egg washed edges, piling it in the middle and leaving the edges free.
- Place the other two puff pastry squares on top to cover the filling completely and crimp around the edges with a fork to seal the filling completely in.
- Place onto the prepared baking tray and brush the tops with more of the egg wash. Using a sharp knife cut several slits in the top to vent.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Leave to sit for about 10 minutes before eating as the filling will be very hot.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
Just a heads up. I have previously sent out newsletters via a program called Mad Mimi. This is a service which is costing me upwards of $35 a month to use. I am switching my e-mail lists over to Grow which is free for me to use. You might get an email from them asking you to confirm your subscription. Don't worry. Its not spam. Once I have given people a chance to confirm their acceptance I will be shutting down the old program. Thank you for your patience!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Chicken Pot Pie. There is nothing that brings to mind the picture of comfort, family and Home-Sweet-Home more than Chicken Pot Pie. Just the thought of an old fashioned chicken pot pie recipe can get our taste buds to tingling!
If you are a small family, an empty nester or a singleton all on your own, you may think that having a homemade chicken pot pie is no longer in your future. That you will be relegated to eat nothing for the rest of your days, but frozen single sized pot pies that never quite live up to your dreams and leave you wanting more.
That is not to say that there is anything wrong with frozen chicken pot pies. Some of them are actually quite good, but there is not a one that can quite come up to the deliciousness of a nice homemade one!
Of course you could make a full sized pot pie and break it down into four single pies, eating one now and freezing three for later. If you are like me however, your freezer space is probably quite limited.
All I have at the moment is the freezer section on the top of my refrigerator. Hardly ideal or large enough to hold very much really.
Today I decided that I was going to make myself a chicken pot pie sized just for one. For me, and that it was going to be a chicken pot pie that lived up to every dream of pot pie I have ever had!
My mother made the best pot pies. Whenever we had a roast dinner of any kind, we could be pretty certain that some of the leftovers and the gravy would be made into a pot pie. They were delicious.
As delicious as they were however, all of us got really excited when my mom bought us good frozen pot pies. (not the cheap ones) There was something about that tender chicken meat and those vegetables in that creamy white gravy that sang the song of our pot pie loving hearts!
Am I wrong? Isn't there something about a good quality frozen pot pie (say a Stouffler's) that is incredibly delicious? Probably about the worst thing I could say about them is not enough chicken or vegetables.
I wanted to recreate that, and to recreate it just for me. However, I wanted a thick and creamy white sauce, filled with lots of tender pieces of chicken breast and vegetables.
I also wanted a tender and flaky crust that was both pleasing to the eye and to the tongue. My butter/lard pastry is the best pastry going. (scroll down the page of the link for the recipe) I didn't want to have to make a full recipe of it however, just to top a single serve pot pie.
I managed to reduce the quantities to make a beautiful butter/lard pastry topping that was perfectly sized for my single serve pie. This is the BEST pastry.
It is flaky and butter, melts in your mouth . . . and at the same time crisp edged. I love, LOVE it.
Of course you could use a small amount of a store purchased pastry or even puff pastry. For me, however, it had to be my butter/lard pastry.
Remember those chickens I bought and cut up for freezing? I used one of the breasts to make this pie. It was sufficient enough to give me plenty of chicken and even some stock for the gravy/sauce.
Chicken with the skin and bone will give you the nicest flavored stock, no stock cubes needed. And it is really very easy and quick to make. Just follow my instructions and you will end up with perfectly cooked, juicy chicken breast meat and beautifully flavored stock.
The pies of my childhood were filled with peas, carrots, corn and green beans. Never any potato, unless my mom had made them. I know I could have used a few tablespoons of frozen mixed vegetables for this which would have worked great.
I didn't have any however, so I cooked a small quantity of carrot and added some frozen peas, corn and chopped green beans.
The sauce is your basic cream sauce, broken down to make only 1/2 cup in total of sauce. You start by sautéing a small amount of onion and celery in some butter, just to soften it. You don't want it to brown.
Into that you add an equal amount of flour. Cook for a minute to cook out the flour taste and then whisk in a small amount of stock and milk. Equal amounts.
A tiny bit of seasoning, some summer savory and you end up with a sauce that is very reminiscent of those pies of our childhoods. Rich, creamy, delicious. Not too thick, not too thin.
I stirred the chicken and vegetables into that (well drained of course) to make a beautiful, perfectly sized, ample filling for my pie.
This got put into my one sole surviving blue cup. I had quite a number of pretty large cups that I could use to bake pies in. Unfortunately, this is the only one that made the journey over from the UK unscathed.
I lost the pretty blue plates that matched as well, but never mind. Its only stuff and you can't take it with you, plus it makes this one even more precious and beloved.
I rolled out the pastry, set it on top and fluted it all around very prettily. I thought it was pretty anyways.
Twenty minutes later I was rewarded with a delicious pot pie just for moi! The filling was really wonderful, rich, creamy and filled with plenty of tender chicken and vegetables.
The crust was golden brown on the edges, flaky and short textured. I don't know about you, but I call this a result!
It really didn't take an awful lot of effort and was fabulously tasty. All natural ingredients. Hand crafted with not a preservative in sight.
My pot pie craving has been sated for the immediate future . . . at least until I am craving one again. Its nice to know that with only the tiniest bit of time and effort I can have something much more delicious than a frozen pie, and perfectly sized just for me.
Chicken Pot Pie (for one)
Yield: 1
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 40 Min
You may think that because you are only one you can't enjoy a lovely chicken pot pie that is homemade. Not true. This pie is delicious, easy to make and perfectly sized just for you!
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 small, bone in, skin on, chicken breast
- cold water to cover
- 1/2 medium sized carrot
- 1/2 small onion, peeled
- 1 6-inch piece of celery with the leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/2 small bay leaf
For the vegetables:
- 1/2 medium sized carrot, peeled and cubed
- 2 TBS frozen peas
- 2 TBS frozen corn
- 4 whole green beans sliced into 1/2 inch lengths
For the sauce:
- 1/2 TBS butter
- 1/2 TBS flour
- 1 TBS minced onion
- 1 TBS minced celery
- 1/4 cup (60ml)chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp summer savory
For the pastry:
- 3 TBS all purpose plain flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 (1/2-inch) cube of cold butter
- 1 (1/2-inch) cube of cold lard
- 1 tsp ice water (or as needed)
Instructions
- First cook your chicken. Put the chicken breast into a saucepan along with the other ingredients and just barely cover with cold water.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until cooked through and the juices run clear. Remove from the heat and remove the chicken from the saucepan, setting it aside to cool.
- Reserve 1/4 cup (60ml) of the stock it cooked in, discarding the remainder.
- Add your carrot to a small saucepan of boiling water, cook until crispy tender. Add the frozen vegetables. Remove from the heat and set aside for a few minutes, then drain well and cool.
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the onion and celery. Cook over low heat to soften, stirring frequently. Do not allow to brown.
- Whisk in the flour. Mix together the stock and milk. Slowly whisk this into the flour/butter mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to the boil and thickens. Leave to simmer for several minutes. Add the salt, pepper and summer savoury. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Keep warm.
- Remove the chicken from the bone, discarding both the bone and the skin. Cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Put into a bowl along with the cooked and drained vegetables. Pour the sauce over top and mix well to combine.
- Pour this mixture into a small oven-proof dish capable of holding it all and place the dish onto a small baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6.
- Measure the flour and salt for the pastry into a bowl. Drop in the butter and lard and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Stir in the water (you may need extra) to make a soft dough.
- Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured board and shape into a flat round, then roll out with a rolling pin, 1/4 inch thick to a round large enough to cover your baking dish.
- Place the pastry on top of the filling in the dish and crimp the edges all around. Vent in a few places with a knife.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Lemon Blueberry Turnovers . . . is there any more delicious flavour combination on the earth than the combination of lemon and blueberry??
I think not . . .
Combine that with flaky buttery puff pastry and you have a marriage made in heaven! This is the perfect time of year to be enjoying blueberry treats!
What is a turnover but a little pie, and these ones are so easy to make!
The filling is very simple to make and they cook in literally minutes, which makes them perfect for the summer months when you don't want to be heating up the kitchen!
I’m all for easy. How about you?
You only need a few ingredients as well. Puff pastry. Blueberries. Bueberry Jam. Lemon Curd.
Plus an egg wash to brush over and seal the edges.
The glaze is simple as well, just icing sugar and lemon juice . . . perfect.
I always have puff pastry in the freezer and lemon curd in the refrigerator. I also always have blueberry jam. I use Bonne Maman . . .
Wild Blueberry Jam . . . it reminds me of home.
I spent many a summer bent down low picking wild blueberries for my mother. Hot and painstaking work. They grow low to the ground.
It takes quite a few to fill a bucket, but their flavour is exemplary. Cultivated ones never quite come up to the flavour of the wild berry.
Mom never made jam with them, just pies. I used to make jam and pies and cakes, muffins, etc. You could usually buy big crates of wild blueberries at the farmers market.
They did cost a lot more than the ones you picked yourself, but . . . sometimes you know, its just worth it.
We grow our own cultivated blueberries in our garden, but when I saw frozen wild blueberries for sale on Ocado, I jumped at the chance to buy a bag.
They were not cheap but I knew their flavour would be amazing.
I sacrificed some of them to make these lush turnovers today. Mixed with a bit of wild blueberry jam, they made for an excellent filling.
I also added some lemon curd . . . because you know, blueberries and lemon . . . perfect.
This was the perfect blend of tart and sweet . . . perfect.
Although I did brush the squares of puff pastry well with an egg wash to help seal the edges and gild the top, I had blow outs . . . which upset me a bit . . . but then I realised . . .
The little blown out bits add to their beauty! And they get nice and sticky as well, which is why you really need to use baking paper and then scoop them off to a cooling rack pronto!
There is no mistaking that these are blueberry turnovers!
That combination of sweet/tart filling . . . that flaky buttery pastry . . . the sweet lemon glaze . . .
Doesn't this just look like a pair of sweet kissable blueberry filled lips? Mmmm . . . kiss . . . kiss!!
Lemon Blueberry Turnovers
Yield: 6 - 8 turnovers
Lemon and blueberry are one of the nicest combinations. These are quick and easy and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients:
- 125g fresh or frozen blueberries (1 1/4 cup)
- 1 heaped dessert spoon of wild blueberry jam (about 1/3 cup)
- 6 - 8 TBS good quality lemon curd
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 large free range egg yolk beaten with 1 TBS cream
To glaze:
- 65g icing sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBS lemon juice
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. (Do not skip this step.)
- Stir the blueberries together with the blueberry jam.
- Unroll the puff pastry. Cut into 6 to 8 even squares (depending on the size of your sheet).
- Beat the egg yolk together with the cream. Brush the edges of each square with some of this.
- Place 1 TBS of lemon curd on one half of each pastry square. Top with about 2 TBS of the blueberry mixture. Fold the half without the filling over to cover the filling and press the edges sealed with the tines of a fork. Place onto the baking sheet leaving plenty of space between. Make a few steam vents in the top of each and brush the tops of the turnovers with the remaining egg wash.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until well risen and golden. Scoop off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk together the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle decoratively over top of the turnovers. Allow to set before serving.
- Best served on the day.
These are quite simply beautiful. To look at. To eat. To enjoy! Happy weekend!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons