Beef Stilton and Onion Pie

Instructions

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and work them in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces still visible. Those butter chunks will create the flaky layers you want.
2. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until the dough just comes together — it should hold when squeezed but not be wet or sticky. Shape into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm.

   ⏱ 30 min
3. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on all sides until they develop a good crust. The browning creates depth of flavor that will carry through the long braise.

   ⏱ 8 min
4. Remove the beef and reduce heat to medium. Add butter and sliced onions to the same pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn deep golden and smell sweet and jammy — this is where the magic happens.

   ⏱ 15 min
5. Scatter flour over the caramelized onions and stir constantly for about 2 minutes. This cooks out the raw flour taste and will help thicken your gravy later.

   ⏱ 2 min
6. Pour in the beef stock gradually, whisking to prevent lumps. Return the browned beef to the pan along with the thyme, bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook low until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened nicely.

   ⏱ 45 min
7. Let the filling cool completely — this prevents the pastry from getting soggy and the stilton from melting into oblivion. Once cool, fold in the crumbled stilton cheese, leaving chunky pieces throughout for pockets of tangy richness.

   ⏱ 30 min
8. Preheat your oven to 425°F and position the rack in the lower third. The high initial heat will help set the pastry quickly.
9. Roll out two-thirds of the chilled pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing gently into the corners without stretching the dough.
10. Spoon the cooled beef and stilton filling into the pastry-lined dish, mounding it slightly in the center. Roll out the remaining pastry for the top crust, making it slightly larger than the dish.
11. Lay the top crust over the filling and trim both crusts to leave about 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the edges under and crimp to seal — you want a tight seal to keep all those juices inside. Cut several steam vents in the top and brush the entire surface with beaten egg for a glossy finish.
12. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes to set the crust, then reduce to 375°F and continue baking until the pastry is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. If the edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil.

    ⏱ 45 min