This savoury pastry has become one of my favourites. Mature Cheddar gives it a rich, nutty flavour that pairs beautifully with tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, asparagus, spinach, ham, smoked salmon and countless other savoury fillings. The dough is wonderfully forgiving—easy to roll, simple to patch if needed, and bakes to an exceptionally crisp, flaky crust.
Cheddar Cheese Pastry
This savoury pastry is perfect for Tomato, Corn & Basil Tarts, Mushroom & Gruyère Tart, Quiche Lorraine, Tomato Galette, Chicken Pot Pie, Sausage Rolls or on its own for Cheese Straws.
Ingredients
Scale
- 300g or 2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 2 ml or ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 255 g or 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
- 120 g or 1⅛ cups finely grated extra-sharp white Cheddar
- 60–75 ml or 4–5 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Make the Cheddar Pastry
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt several times to combine.
- Add the cold butter and pulse four to six times, until the butter is coated with flour but remains in visible pieces. Add the grated Cheddar and pulse several more times to distribute it evenly.
- Add the cold water, 15ml or 1 tbsp at a time, pulsing three or four times after each addition. Once all the water has been added, continue pulsing in short bursts until the dough begins to clump together. This may take 20 to 30 pulses—or even a few more. Be patient and resist the temptation to add additional water; the dough will come together once the flour is fully hydrated.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Cup your hands around it and gently bring it together into a ball. Flatten it into a disc, wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Use according to recipe instructions.
Notes
- Adapted from Small Pies, Big Flavor by Helen Nugent.
- Chill the dough for at least one hour before rolling.
- Roll to about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Small cracks patch beautifully with a fingertip and a dab of water.
- Blind bake for custard fillings to ensure a crisp base.
- Trimmings bake into irresistible cheese biscuits—don’t throw them away!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Two 9" pie crusts
