Cheddar Cheese Pie with Green Onions and Walnuts
Source: New York Times Dec. 13, ’89 (from Jasper White’s Cooking From New England)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pastry Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 6 Unsalted Butter, Cold
- 3½ Ice Cold Water
- 4 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
- 12 cups Aged Cheddar Cheese, Grated
- 6 Scallions, Thinly Sliced
- Salt And Pepper To Taste
- ½ cup Toasted Walnuts, Chopped
Method
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In a bowl, mix together the flour and salt. Cut the butter into pieces, each about one and a half tbsp. Add the butter to the flour and salt and mix with your hands.
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When the butter has broken up into pieces and the flour has just begun to pick up some of the color from the butter, add the water a little bit at a time and mix with your hands until the dough just sticks together. Do not add more water than necessary. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
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Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead the dough briefly until it just begins to smooth out. Form the dough into a flat circle and wrap it in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a floured surface. Roll it quickly until it is very thin (about a quarter-inch thick) and slightly larger than a nine-inch pie pan. Gently place the dough in the pie pan, pressing it lightly against the sides.
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Cover the dough with foil and fill the pie pan with rice, dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes; remove the foil and beans and bake for 10 minutes more.
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Beat the eggs and place them in the top of a double boiler along with the cream, cheese and scallions. Heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy and the cheese is melted, but do not let the mixture boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and hot-pepper sauce.
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Pour the mixture into the pie crust and return to the preheated oven. After 10 minutes, sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top and return to the oven. The pie should be almost completely covered with nuts. Cook about 20 minutes more or until the filling is set and the top begins to brown lightly. Allow to cool somewhat but not completely.
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To serve, cut the warm pie into thin slivers. The pie can be eaten alone or served atop a salad of frisee, watercress and endive, or other hearty greens, dressed with vinaigrette.
12 to 16 servings.