Cheesy pie

In our home, we don’t make savoury pies that often, which is a bit of a shame since they make a wonderful meal and my boyfriend is an absolute sucker for these flavourful and crispy delicacies. Tasty hot or cold, they are great for lazy summer days when you don’t feel like a hot meal. Just keep it simple with a cold slice of pie and a large serving of salad.

When I made this pie the other day, I set out to capture the essence of summer. To me asparagus is one of those amazing summer vegetables that taste fantastic in anything from salad to baked dishes. It can be grilled, enjoyed raw, marinated or added to a pie like here. Delicious and absolutely beautiful.

Like I said, pies are extremely versatile, and that holds true for this version as well. So feel free to add a little chopped bacon, some semi-dried tomatoes, grated cheese or whatever inspires you. In my opinion all you need is a great crust and a filling that isn’t too liquidy – so take care not to add too many vegetables with high water content. Or you could start by trying this version and then make adjustments and additions as you please.

Start by making the crust – in a bowl combine the flour, salt and butter. Use your fingers to crumble the butter into the flour. Add the ice water and knead the dough as little as possible until it comes together. Place the dough on a floured surface, use a rolling pin to flatten it out until it fits your pie dish (approx.. 24-26 cm in diameter). Gently place the crust into the pie dish using your hands to shape it. Prick holes in the crust with a fork. Pre-bake the piecrust for 15 min. at 175°C.

Now to the filling – sauté the onions in butter over medium-to-high heat until golden and caramelised. Whisk together the cottage cheese, eggs, garlic, a pinch of salt and some ground pepper. Add the caramelised onion to the pre-baked crust, crumble feta cheese on top and give it a careful stir. Pour the egg and cottage cheese mixture over it, making sure to spread it out evenly. Finally, remove the ends of the asparagus by snapping the woody bottom part of. Rub the asparagus with some oil and place them decoratively on top of the pie. Bake for 30 min. until golden and set.