Think of this pie recipe as a spin on the ubiquitous Croque Monsieur sandwich. Incredibly easy to make. Serve with a salad on the side. Delicious comfort food at its best. I take it on road trips or picnics and it never lasts long.
Yield: 6 – 8 slices
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
Pastry:
- 1 1/4 cup (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (55 g) cold butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup (113 g) small curd cottage cheese
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- sesame seeds for sprinkling (optional)
Filling:
- 1 cup (140 g) smoked ham slices, cut into small slivers
- 1 1/2 cup (170 g) shredded Swiss or Havarti cheese
- 3 Tbsp finely sliced green onions
- 1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
Preparation:
First, mix all the filling ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
To make the pastry, mix flour and salt in a bowl and add it to the food processor. Add butter or margarine and pulse mixture until it resembles fine crumbs. Add cottage cheese and pulse it until dough forms a moist ball. Let dough rest for 15 minutes in the fridge.
Remove dough from the fridge and cut it in half. Roll one half of the dough to the size of a dinner plate about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. You may use one as a template and cut it around it. Set aside on parchment paper and cover it with a towel. Roll out the second half of the dough.The circle, which you will now use as the bottom of your pie should be slightly larger than the top one by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). This is necessary as you will be folding the bottom circle edges over the top one later on. Save dough scraps for decorative top shapes.
Transfer the bottom dough circle to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon ham and cheese filling on top of it staying within 1 inch (2,5 cm) from the edge. Brush bottom circle edges with some of the beaten egg. Cover filling with the top dough circle. Fold the bottom circle edge over the top one up to seal. Crimp edges together with the fork tines.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush top with the reserved beaten egg. Cut small vents on top of the pie to allow steam to escape. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the bottom is browned or it will be soggy. Lift the edges with a spatula and take a peak. Remove from the oven and allow to cool a bit. Slide it onto a serving plate and serve it warm.
