Roots, ham and caramelised onion pie recipe

By Matthew Drennan

Serves 6
Takes 45 minutes to make and 40 minutes in the oven
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Rating

Everyone loves a nice pie, and this roots, ham and caramelised onion recipe is a prime example. It's easy to make and full of winter vegetables guaranteed to bring a smile to your face.

Ingredients

12 whole pickling onions or small shallots
90g butter
1 fresh thyme sprig, leaves picked
2 tsp caster sugar
225g carrots, cut into small chunks
225g swede, cut into chunks
225g celeriac, cut into chunks
225g piece cooked ham, cut into chunks
30g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
600ml full-fat milk
50g fresh Parmesan, grated
Good handful chopped fresh parsley
375g ready-rolled shortcrust pastry
1 medium egg, beaten

Method

1. Put the onions into a bowl, pour over a kettle of boiling water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain, halve and peel. Melt 50g of the butter in a large pan over a very low heat, then add the onions and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Increase the heat to medium, add the thyme and sugar and cook, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes, until caramelised. Cool.
2. Meanwhile, put the rest of the vegetables into a steamer or colander over a pan of boiling water, cover, and steam for 10-12 minutes, until tender. Drain well and toss together with the ham and onions.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan180°C/gas 6. Make the sauce. Melt the remaining butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and parsley. Season.
4. Pour the sauce over the vegetables and ham, and stir well. Spoon into a 2-litre pie dish. Unroll the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut out a shape about 2cm bigger than the dish. Cover the dish with the pastry, trim the edges and use the trimmings to decorate the top of the pie.
5. Brush the pastry with the egg and make a snip in the top for the steam to escape. Sit on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until golden.