Cheese and onion pasties recipe
 Can anything beat a classic cheese and onion pasty freshly made and eaten warm straight from the oven? We doubt it! This recipe uses readymade puff pastry to keep things quick and simple, so you can whip them up for lunches and picnics. 25g/1oz butter1 tbsp olive oil2 onions, sliced2 garlic cloves, crushed3 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and diced2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley1 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp cayenne pepper150g/5½oz mature cheddar, gratedplain flour, for dusting500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry1 free-range egg, beaten, for glazingsalt and freshly ground black pepperonion relish, chutney or ketchup, to serve 25g/1oz butter 1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and diced 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley 1 tbsp Dijon mustard ½ tsp cayenne pepper 150g/5½oz mature cheddar, grated plain flour, for dusting 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made puff pastry 1 free-range egg, beaten, for glazing salt and freshly ground black pepper onion relish, chutney or ketchup, to serve Method Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over a low–medium heat and cook the onions, stirring often, for about 12 minutes until soft and starting to colour at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Tip into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water for about 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and leave to cool. Add the potatoes to the onion mixture and then add the parsley, mustard, cayenne and cheese. Season well with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the puff pastry out to a thickness of 2–3mm and cut out 6 discs with a 16–17cm/6¼–6½in diameter (use a small plate or saucer as a guide).Spoon the potato filling onto one side of each of the pastry discs leaving a border of at least 1cm/½in. Brush the edges of the pastry discs with water and fold over the filling to encase. Press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges between your thumb and finger. Arrange the pasties on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½.Brush the pastries with the beaten egg and bake for 25–30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with onion relish, chutney or ketchup on the side. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over a low–medium heat and cook the onions, stirring often, for about 12 minutes until soft and starting to colour at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Tip into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool. Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan over a low–medium heat and cook the onions, stirring often, for about 12 minutes until soft and starting to colour at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. Tip into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water for about 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and leave to cool. Add the potatoes to the onion mixture and then add the parsley, mustard, cayenne and cheese. Season well with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water for about 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain well and leave to cool. Add the potatoes to the onion mixture and then add the parsley, mustard, cayenne and cheese. Season well with salt and pepper and mix to combine. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the puff pastry out to a thickness of 2–3mm and cut out 6 discs with a 16–17cm/6¼–6½in diameter (use a small plate or saucer as a guide). Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the puff pastry out to a thickness of 2–3mm and cut out 6 discs with a 16–17cm/6¼–6½in diameter (use a small plate or saucer as a guide). Spoon the potato filling onto one side of each of the pastry discs leaving a border of at least 1cm/½in. Brush the edges of the pastry discs with water and fold over the filling to encase. Spoon the potato filling onto one side of each of the pastry discs leaving a border of at least 1cm/½in. Brush the edges of the pastry discs with water and fold over the filling to encase. Press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges between your thumb and finger. Arrange the pasties on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½. Press the edges together to seal. Crimp the edges between your thumb and finger. Arrange the pasties on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C Fan/Gas 6½. Brush the pastries with the beaten egg and bake for 25–30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with onion relish, chutney or ketchup on the side. Brush the pastries with the beaten egg and bake for 25–30 minutes until crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with onion relish, chutney or ketchup on the side.