Onion Pie

Tasty, flaky, savory onion pie. 

Before you ask: yes, it gives you gas. But...it's tasty and oh so worth it. The smell of the butter and onions slowly cooking is deliciously intoxicating. It brings back memories of being in my grandmother's kitchen (the smell of the pie, not the gas). 

I've made onion pies before but I've always flown by the seat of my pants. This time around, I decided to find some recipes online and do some experimenting. I used this Vidalia Onion Pie recipe and tweaked it a little based on the ingredients I already had at home. 

Onion Pie

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

cold water

Filling:

1 egg yolk and 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

1/2 cup unsalted butter

9 medium yellow onions

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (I really like cheese)

Prepare the crust. Combine all the dry ingredients in your pastry blender and mix well. 

Add the butter into the dry mixture and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. 

Slowly add water, drop by drop. Continue to do this until the dough sticks together without being sticky or crumbly. 

Place the dough in plastic wrap in the shape of a disk and place it in the fridge for at least an hour.

Butter a 10 inch pie pan. Roll out the dough and place it in the pie pan. Brush the egg wash on the pie crust and place the pie pan in the refrigerator until the filling is prepared. 

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. 

Begin preparing the filling. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat (I used a wok to have more room). 

Chop up the onions. 

Add the onions to the butter and saute them until they are translucent. Do not brown the onions. 

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, the buttermilk, and the flour. 

Add this mixture to the onions. Season with salt and pepper and pour this mixture into the pie crust. Top with the shredded Swiss cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for 20 more minutes (or until center is set). 

Thanks to the cheese, the top of the pie becomes delectably crusty. The inside is smooth, creamy, and savory. Serve up a slice with some salad and you're in business!