Cheese and Onion Pasties

These flaky cheese and onion pasties are made with puff pastry. Delicate, buttery pastry filled with a savory, cheesy filling, these slices make a wonderful appetizer or light dinner. They are also perfect party food.

We love anything made with puff pastry, and these cheese and onion pasties are no exception. This is actually one of our favorite savory pasty recipes.

Just a few ingredients (only 3 main ones), but so much flavor, comfort, and fun. Eating filled puff pastry is always fun, I think. Easy-going food that everybody loves. You bite on it, enjoy the sound it makes, get the flaky pastry pieces all over your clothes, probably burn your tongue a little if you were too greedy and couldn’t wait, and then moan with pleasure.

Make sure to check these Chocolate Puff Pastry or these Puff Pastry Apple Pies, for instance. Just as delicious, but sweet.

What are pasties?

The original Cornish pasties are one of the best-known and beloved British foods. They originate in Cornwall, and they are shortcrust pastry pockets filled with beef, onion, potatoes, and rutabaga/swede.

Modern versions can be filled with pretty much anything, like chicken, fish, eggs, and other veggies. They can be vegetarian or vegan. They can have an Indian touch (some of the best I’ve had were filled with peas, potatoes, and lots of Indian spices), and they can be made with puff pastry instead of short crust as well.

Ingredients for cheese and onion pasties

Puff pastry, onions and cheese. Only three main ingredients, but the pastries are still packed with flavor.

Why use puff pastry to make pasties?

Pastry:

• I usually use already-rolled sheets from the refrigerator section of the supermarket. A frozen sheet is perfectly fine as well. Defrost it and roll it (if necessary) according to the packet’s instructions.
• It’s sooooo easy! So much easier and faster than making pie pastry yourself. Not that we don’t love that kind as well. Have a look at Harry Potter’s Pumpkin Pasties or these delicious Beef Empanadas.
• But the bought dough is so much easier to deal with, it’s really cheap and always ready to be filled.
• And if you buy the refrigerated and already rolled sort, you will not even have to bother with defrosting and rolling. Open the pack and unroll the dough. Cut, fill, close, bake. That’s it!
• You will need two packets of dough, each weighing more or less 275 g/ 10 oz. The rolled one is about 25 cm/ 10 inches long. If using frozen dough, roll it to these dimensions.

Cheese:

• I used a sharp, flavorful Cheddar.
• You can use other sorts of cheese as well; just make sure it’s something strong. I would not go for mozzarella here; I find it too plain for this recipe.

Other ingredients: one egg yolk and a little milk for the egg wash, a little oil for cooking the onions, salt, and pepper.

How to make cheese and onion pasties?

Cook onions:

• Peel and halve the onions. Slice the halves into half rings.
• Heat the oil in a large thick-bottomed or nonstick pan. Cook the onions with a pinch of salt until nicely golden, this will take about 10 minutes.
• Stir often, and don’t allow the onions to get too brown. If they threaten to catch, turn down the heat slightly and add a small splash of water.
• Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.

Mix filling:

• Grate the cheese. Mix with the onions, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill puff pastry:

• Unroll both sheets of dough on the working surface.
• Cut rectangles of about 12x15 cm/ 4.5 - 6 inches. These dimensions will fit if the pastry sheets are as large as mine. If they are larger or smaller, it won’t matter much. Just cut them into even rectangles. (1)
• Put half of the rectangles on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
• Spoon the cheese and onion mixture evenly on the rectangles, leaving some space around the filling. (2)

• Mix the egg yolk and the milk in a small bowl. Use to brush the dough around the filling. (3)
• Drape over the remaining pastry rectangles. Gently press to seal the edges and crimp with a fork. (4)
• Brush each pastry with the egg wash.
• Make a slit in the middle to allow the hot air to escape during baking. Use a small sharp knife. (4)

Bake:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C before starting to fill the cheese and onion slices.
• Bake them for about 30-35 minutes until puffed and golden.
• Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving, they will be really hot inside.

Make the pasties ahead

Freeze the pasties

You can prepare them and freeze them unbaked. Place them on a baking tray, but don’t brush them with the egg brush. Freeze until solid, then transfer to freezer bags. This way, you will be able to remove only a few from the bag if desired.

When ready to bake them, remove them from the freezer but don’t defrost them. Brush them with egg brush and bake in the preheated oven (200 degrees Celsius/ 400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30-40 minutes until cooked through and deeply golden.

Store and reheat them

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