Photography by: Sam Wilkinson

Perfect Picnic Pies

Recipe by: Claire Winstanley 

Makes: 8 mini pies
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
 
40g unsalted butter
40g flour
300ml full cream milk
100g Oak-smoked Stanford cheese, grated
3 onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ pack chives, finely chopped
2 sheets all butter puff pastry
1 egg, mixed for brushing
 
To make the caramelized onions, place the thinly sliced onion into a low-medium heated pan and slowly cook until all the onion softens, roughly 10 minutes. At this point add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
 
To make the cheese filling, start by warming the milk in a saucepan. In a separate saucepan melt the butter. Once the butter has melted add the flour whisking continuously. Slowly begin adding the milk whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Once all the milk has been added reduce the heat and whisk for a further 5 minutes to cook the flour. The sauce will be quite thick at this stage. Add the cheese and chives and remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool.
 
Preheat the oven to 200’c and line an oven tray with baking paper. Cut 4 equal squares out of the puff pastry. Mix the onions with the cheese filling and spoon into the centre of each square. Brush the edges of the pastry with the mixed egg and fold up and seal pressing down with a fork. Place the pies onto a lined tray and bake until puffed and golden, roughly 15 minutes.