Mini Onion and Cheese Pie

It doesn't matter which way you eat the onion, it's always good for you! Onions are antibiotic and can be added to almost any savory dish, along with oregano (also known as marjoram), one of the most versatile herbs.

Stuffing:
2 cups (500 mL) white onion, julienned
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large pear, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves roasted garlic
1/2 cup (125 mL) roasted walnuts
1 tsp (5 mL) mixed herbs
1/2 cup (125 mL) sweet sherry or Marsala wine or 1/4 cup (60 mL) sherry or balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) butter
1 cup (250 mL) Gruy? or Gouda cheese, grated
2 pieces Brie cheese, 1/2 inch (1 centimeter) wedges each

Pie crust:
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
3 Tbsp (45 mL) cold water
1/2 cup (125 mL) salted butter, at room temperature
1 large free-range egg
Dash salt
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme and chives, chopped

Raspberry coulis:
raspberries
2 Tbsp (30 mL) water
2 Tbsp (30 mL) sucanat (cane sugar)

To prepare crust, sift flour onto a clean flat surface, cut in butter, add salt and herbs, make a well in middle and break egg into it. Mix lightly with your hands do not overwork. Add cold water and combine again lightly. Wrap dough in plastic, place in refrigerator for at least three hours preferably overnight.

In the meantime, combine all stuffing ingredients, except Gruy?, Brie and walnuts.

To make the coulis, boil all ingredients until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Pur? then sift out the raspberry seeds. Set aside.

Remove the dough from refrigerator. Portion into three to four balls. Roll flat one-eighth of an inch (three to four millimetres) thick.

To assemble, sprinkle Gruy? on the dough, then the onion mixture and the Brie on top. Sprinkle with walnuts and fold the edges over the top of the mixture.

Bake at 380°F (190°C) for 15 to 20 minutes on the top shelf of the oven. Serve on a bed of Belgian endive and garnish with raspberry coulis. Serves two.

Source: alive #213, July 2000