This Caramelized Onion And Ham Puff Pastry Pie is a savory dish usually served as a main course. It is made with puff pastry and a filling of slightly caramelized onion, ham, and cheese.
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Why I like this recipe
Easy to make and delicious: You can serve this pie any day of the week, but you can also make it for times when you entertain, as it works as an appetizer as well.
Versatile: Elegant enough but also casual, the pie goes well with a refreshing summer salad or winter salads and a glass of light white wine.
If you are looking for a variation from the classic "meat and potatoes" type of dinner, this recipe is for you.
What is puff pastry
Puff pastry, or pate feuillete, or feuilletage in French, is a rich and delicate pastry made of very thin layers of dough and butter.
Making puff pastry from scratch is a lengthy and complicated procedure. Butter is incorporated into a rolled-out dough of flour and water. The dough is then folded, turned at right angles, rolled out, and folded again.
This procedure is repeated several times, and the dough is left to stand and chill between each turning. The more turns there are up(up to eight, usually, according to Larousse Encyclopedia), the greater the number of layers in the finished pastry.
Because of the long process, almost nobody makes this pastry from scratch anymore, so don't feel bad if you buy it in the store. Even famous chefs don't waste their time making it from scratch.
Note: Puff pastry is usually not sweetened, and it is used for pies, tarts, pastries, and many other dishes. It is traditionally baked at high temperatures, so the air, trapped during rolling, expands.
The melting fat content and heat set the layers and give the pastry the characteristic crisp texture.
You can use puff pastry sheets that you can find at any grocery store. I recommend keeping some additional sheets in your freezer for other delicious pie dishes. (see here Minced meat pie).
What ingredients do you need
- Puff Pastry: A flaky, layered dough that rises and becomes airy when baked due to the steam produced from the water content in its layers.
- Onions: I used two regular yellow onions and one red.
- Butter or Olive Oil: We use a small amount to cook the filling for the pie.
- Cooked Ham: Any kind of ham is suitable for the recipe (Black Forest ham, Country ham, Virginia ham, HoneyBaked ham, or deli ham, anything that works.) However, you can replace the ham with sausages, like kielbasa style, or cooked steak.
- Nutmeg: is a warm and slightly sweet spice that gives a subtle flavor to the dish. If you don't have it or do not like it, you can skip it.
- Salt and ground pepper: they season your dish.
- Eggs (for filling and brushing)
- Shredded Cheese (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Feta, etc.): Melted cheese contributes to a creamy texture and rich flavor.
How to make this Caramelized Onion And Ham Puff Pastry Pie
Step 1.
Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
Step 2.
Defrost the puff pastry for no more than 40 minutes at room temperature; otherwise, it will be simply hard to work with it.
Step 3.
Slice the onion thinly and dice the ham.
In a large skillet, heat the butter or the oil and add the onions and ham.
Step 4.
Cook onions until they are soft and slightly caramelized, about 7-10 minutes. Stir often so the onions don't burn.
Step 5.
Add salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Taste and make sure the amount of salt is enough. If not, add a little bit more.
Step 6.
Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
Step 7.
Beat three eggs and add them to the mixture.
Also, add the shredded cheese.
Note: Cheddar cheese works perfectly, but there is no rule to add whatever shredded cheese you have around.
Maybe you want to mix cheddar cheese with a bit of gruyere, or perhaps you have a bag of Mexican cheese or even Feta cheese. Suits well!
Stir to combine.
Step 8.
In a 9x13 inch baking pan, place a puff pastry sheet on the bottom of the pan.
Step 9.
Add the mixture of onions and ham and spread it evenly over the puff pastry sheet.
Step 10.
Cover the mixture with the second puff pastry sheet and tuck the edges of the puff pastry inside the tray.
Step 11.
Beat an egg and brush the entire surface of the pie with it.
Also, grab a fork and poke the puff pastry top everywhere.
Step 12.
Bake at 400F/200C for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Slice it in squares and serve it warm.
Expert tip
For an even flakier puff pastry crust, chill your baking dish with the prepared pie in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes before baking. The cold pastry hitting the hot oven will enhance its puff and flakiness.
Storage and leftovers
Refrigerator: Once cooled, cover the pie with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. It should be consumed within 3-4 days for the best taste and freshness.
Freezer: You can freeze either the unbaked pie for a fresh bake later on or freeze the baked pie for reheating.
If freezing unbaked, it can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you're ready to bake, you can bake straight from the freezer. Just add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
If you've already baked the pie and want to freeze the leftovers or the whole baked pie for future consumption, it should be good for up to 1 month in the freezer.
Recipe Faqs
Yes, while ham provides a delicious flavor, you can use other cooked meats like chicken, turkey, or even sautéed mushrooms for a vegetarian option. Adjust the seasoning accordingly based on the salt content of your alternative.
Caramelizing the onions provides a deep, sweet flavor that balances the saltiness of the ham. Also, it reduces the baking time, as the onions would be already cooked.
No, it's not mandatory. The combination of white and red onions offers a blend of flavors and colors. If you only have one type on hand, you can use solely that. Adjust the quantity to ensure you have enough filling.
If you want to make this recipe in advance, you can put it together and then freeze it. On the day of serving it, heat the oven and bake it.
Yes, you can. However, the puff pastry texture is very different from the pie crust one, but if you like that better or don't have access to puff pastry, go ahead and use what you have. Keep in mind that the two are not the same, so the results will be quite different.
You might be surprised how many people ask this question. Leeks would be a good option if you hate onions, but keep in mind that they are from the same family of vegetables. Leeks are also sweeter and have a slightly different texture.
Suggestion for a sweet slab pie: Easy Apple Pie Bars
Other puff pastry recipes
Romanian Spinach And Feta Cheese Pie
Ham And Cheese Puff Pastry Pockets
Cabbage puff pastries triangles
Easy recipes made with puff pastry
📖 Recipe
Caramelized Onion And Ham Puff Pastry Pie
Ingredients
- 17.25 ounces puff pastry one package with 2 puff pastry sheets
- 3 large onions 2 white, 1 red sliced thinly
- 4 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 16 ounces cooked ham diced
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 large eggs for the filling
- 1 large egg for brushing the pastry
- 8 ounces shredded cheese Cheddar, Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, crumbled Feta etc
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
- Defrost the puff pastry according to the package. (Do not let it sit at room temperature for more than 40 minutes. More than 40 mins sitting at room temperature, and the puff pastry will be difficult to work with.)
- While the puff pastry is defrosting, slice the onions thinly and dice the ham.
- In a large skillet, heat the butter or the oil and add the onions and ham. Cook them until the onions are soft and slightly caramelized, about 7-10 minutes. Stir often, so the onions don't burn.
- Add salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Taste and make sure the amount of salt is enough. If not, add a little bit more.
- Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.
- Beat the 3 eggs and add them to the mixture. Also, add the shredded cheese. Stir to combine.
- In a 9x13 inch baking pan, place a puff pastry sheet on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the mixture of onions and ham and spread it evenly over the puff pastry sheet.
- Cover the mixture with the second puff pastry sheet and tuck the pastry's edges inside the tray.
- Beat an egg and brush the entire surface of the pie with it. Also, grab a fork and poke the puff pastry top everywhere.
- Bake at 400F/200C for about 35 minutes or until golden brown.
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