Recipe Caramelised Onion, Saffron and Potato Pie

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The original recipe comes from the guardian, but we've modified it to have a base to the pie (!) and also doubled the filling. The original version which we made wasn't particularly deep and we wanted it deeper.

Ingredients - Serves 6
4tbs olive oil
4-6 large onions
6 cloves garlic, crushed
Good pinch saffron strands, ground
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp curry powder
1kg potatoes, 3mm slices
600g vegan shortcrust pastry
Oat milk to glaze

Method

• Heat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C/400F/gas 6) and line 20cm/8inch springform cake tin with greaseproof paper.
• In a large frying pan, heat the olive, add the onions and saute for 20 mins over a medium heat until caramelised. Add the garlic, saffron, pepper and curry powder, cook for 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.
• Add the base of the pie to the springform tin and blind bake the lower pastry base of the pie for 10-15mins until cooked, then add the sides to line the cooled tin
• Add a layer the potatoes with a cm overlap and add about ¼ of the onions and repeat until all the veg is used up. Finish with a layer of potatoes.
• Top the pie off with a layer of pastry, that's about 2cm wider than the tin in diameter. You then need to fold the pie sides over the pie lid extra to create a sealed, rolled edge. With an excess pastry, cut some leaf shapes, dab with water and apply to the top as decoration.
• Use the oat milk to glaze and bake in the oven for around 1¼-1½hrs until a skewer easily goes through the potato slices

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Nicely written, easy to follow
Another bloody bookmark
One query - at 180c for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hrs I would be concerned about the pastry burning before the potatoes are cooked, do you protect the top of the pie?

 

[Morning Glory]

A very good looking pie. I like the use of saffron which elevates it from the plain. I would be a bit concerned about the potatoes in case they don't cook through enough or conversely, as SandwichShortOfAPicnic says, that the crust might overcook.

Given that the onions are already cooked I would be inclined to briefly par boil the potatoes and shorten the cooking time.

I find it a little strange when recipes call for curry powder as not only do curry powders vary in strength but vary wildly in ingredients.

Do you have a photo of a slice, showing the filling?

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

I was also thinking the potatoes could take a brief hot dip.
Then I thought I could even cheat by microwaving those prepared parmentier potatoes - fresh pre-diced potatoes usually used for roasting, I’m only explaining for others because apple spell checker thinks parmentier is a typo

It would obviously be different from a layered interior but the flavours would be there and a speedy version to accompany sunday lunch is the route I’m thinking of taking.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Nicely written, easy to follow
Another bloody bookmark
One query - at 180c for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hrs I would be concerned about the pastry burning before the potatoes are cooked, do you protect the top of the pie?

We didn't cover it and it didn't burn but it is a deep springform pan which might have offered a little protection?

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I find it a little strange when recipes call for curry powder as not only do curry powders vary in strength but vary wildly in ingredients.

We used 2tsp of a hot curry powder that we live and know. It's from the guardian so I guess they're trying to make it easier?

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

Variation on the theme. Not the same dish due to the changes but the fundamentals flavour wise are there, I suppose you’d call it ‘inspired by’

No layering, no pie bottom (thats mostly because gluten free pastry doesn’t stand up well to moisture without extra input) so this is diced onions and cubed potatoes. I think I used a lot more onion than stated at 1.5kg of onion but that is for two lots so more like 750g onion to 400g potato ratio.
The saffron really added an extra something, I didn’t expect it to, I thought the curry powder would overpower it but I was wrong. It’s tasty I had to stop myself eating it!

Mini versions prepared as an additional dish to go with Sunday lunch tomorrow, they’ll have their pastry lids added for baking then.
Pic now without the pastry because the roast always requires a final sprint and that’s when taking photos goes out of the window!

Now I really want to try the proper version!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

. I think I used a lot more onion than stated at 1.5kg of onion but that is for two lots so more like 750g onion to 400g potato ratio.

4-6 large onions

1kg potatoes, 3mm slices

6 large onions round here is 1¾kg.
You get 7 to a 2kg net.

That's a typical large onion here and in fact they don't call that a large onion either.

 

[SandwichShortOfAPicnic]

It was pretty much the correct ratios then -
My 1.5kg onions for 800g potato (in total) compared with the recipes 1 3/4 onion to 1kg potatoes

I’ll see how it goes down at lunch today. Tbh I already know they’re going to like it.
If I do the cheat version again (ie prepared onion and pre-diced parmentier potatoes) I’d probably add a scattering of mustard or nigella seeds for looks as much as flavour because if you skip the layering you’re gonna lose the looks.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Given that the onions are already cooked I would be inclined to briefly par boil the potatoes and shorten the cooking time.

It's not needed to parboil the tatties.

This one which is very similar also doesn't.

It cuts the potatoes at 4mm and cooks at the same temperature for less time. It's one we have made repeatedly and came from a former CB member from the BBC good food website.

Recipe - Indian Potato Pie (Revisited)