Onion pie

Inspired by Nigella Lawson "How to be a Domestic Goddess"

Serves 6

For topping:

750g red onions (you can mix white and red, but red look better), peeled and quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch of sugar
3-4 springs of thyme, de-stalked plus some extra do garnish
50g sharp Cheddar cheese or Gruyere, grated

Heat the oil and butter in the pan, then add the onions and cook over a medium heat, stirring regularly, for about 20 minutes. If possible use ovenproof pan, if not you can transfer the onions to a ovenproof dish just before baking. Add sugar, thyme salt and pepper.

For the dough:

250g wholemeal flour (you can use white)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
100g sharp Cheddar cheese or Gruyere, grated
egg
3 tbsp melted butter
100ml milk
1 tsp English or Dijon mustard

Meanwhile prepare the dough. Put the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl with the 100g of cheese. Pour the milk into a cup, add the melted butter, mustard and egg, mix well and then pour onto the flour mixture in the bowl. Mix to a dough using a fork, a wooden spoon, or your hands; it should be quite sticky, but pretty easy to roll. Then tip it out onto a work surface and ff it is too sticky use some more flour to roll it into a circle about the size of the pie dish.

Sprinkle 50g of cheese over the onions, then cover it with a dough, pressing it to seal the edges.

Bake in preheated oven (220C) for 15 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 180C and bake for further 10 minutes. The top should golden. Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes, then cover with a large plate or chopping board and turn upside-down.

Cut and serve garnished with fresh thyme springs.