I was in London a few years back to visit my daughter, who was lonely and homesick and pining for home. And who can blame her? It was her first posting overseas and her first time of being away from home for an extended period. It was also the middle of a long dreary winter. So what does this have to do with Potato Cheese and Onion Parcels?
My daughter and I had arranged to meet for lunch in the city centre one rainy day, but she was running late and while waiting I bought an ordinary looking pie from Greggs Bakery.Greggs is a famous bakery chain that sells sausage rolls, sandwiches and other bakery items. I don’t know if I was just starving, but that pastry filled with Cheese and Onion was just heavenly and I remember that cheesy goodness right to this day. And during my stay in London, I tried a couple more items from Gregg, but nothing compared to that Cheese and Onion pie.
What you need to make Potato Cheese and Onion Parcels
- Potatoes – The original Gregg Pastry didn’t have potatoes, but I think it adds a bit of texture, heft and volume. I fry the potatoes in a little bit of oil, but you can also use boiled potatoes or better yet leftover mash, if you’ve got them.
- Cheese- I usually make this with Cheddar, but any cheese combination ( like Mozzarella, Parmesan,Cheddar) will do.
- Puff Pastry – Use the best butter Puff Pastry you can find. In Sydney, there’s a brand available called Careme, that’s the best. A little bit spendy, but worth it. If bought frozen, thaw the pastry sheets overnight in the fridge.
- Other Pantry/Fridge Items- Egg for glazing, Cream and Cornstarch to thicken the sauce, Salt and Pepper to taste and a vegetarian stock powder called Vegeta(optional). If you have it, Sesame or Black Sesame seeds look good when sprinkled on the top of the parcels before baking.
Easy does it…
- Cook the finely diced potatoes until tender and lightly golden on the edges. Alternatively, boil the potato until tender, then grate with a coarse grater . Set to one side of the pan and cook the diced onions until soft and wilted. Mix together to combine.
- Add the cream and cornstarch slurry, season with stock powder, salt and pepper to taste and cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens. Set aside to cool.
- Cut each of the pastry sheets into 4 squares to make 8 in total. Divide the potato filling equally between the 8 squares and place the filling to one side of the pastry. Fold the other side of the pastry over itself to enclose the filling completely, then crimp the edges (except the folded part) with the tines of a fork. Use a small sharp knife to cut shallow slits to let the steam escape so the parcel does not burst. Repeat for the remaining pastry squares.
- Brush with beaten egg to glaze and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until puffed and golden.
Options and Variations…
- This makes a great light lunch served with a garden salad.
- Add a handful of cooked diced bacon for a more substantial pie.
- Finely diced spinach added to the filling is also a great combo.
- Make into smaller bite sized parcels which makes perfect nibbles to go with drinks.
- Perfect as it is, it is delicious dipped in sweet chilli sauce.
To quote the great songwriter Paul Simon, “There are fifty ways to leave your lover”, and there are as many ways to shape a pastry parcel. The original from Gregg’s bakery was a rectangle, but below are three of my favourite shapes.
More puff pastry ideas? Try my recipe for Satay Chicken Sausage Rolls. Guaranteed easy and a crowd pleaser.