Servings:

4ish (but probably

Level of difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

10 oz wholemeal flour
5oz butter
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 large or 2 small strong onions
cold water to bind pastry
300g good strong cheddar cheese
very large teaspoon marmite (I think it's this bit that makes it not just any C&O P, but mind you don't tell people who think they don't like marmite!

Method

. Mix flour, butter, salt, and half of the pepper with a pastry maker hand tool.
. Add cold water whilst mixing pastry with knife, chopping though mix until it starts to bind, then finish with hand.
. Put pastry in food bag and chuck in freezer
. Wash potatoes, chop if large and put to boil
. Chop onions and fry them until browning
. Once brown, take off heat and stir in marmite then leave them until the potatoes are done
. Grate cheese
. When potatoes soft, mash. Then add rest of pepper, cheese, onions with marmite and offer to anyone available to see if mix needs ajusting (ie more marmite? more cheese?) This is more ritual than necessity as it's always fine!
. Grease largest baking tray around.
. Cut pastry in half and roll out half to fit the bottom of (or as much as will reach) baking tray
. Roll out rest of pastry in similar shape to first
. Plop mixture out onto pastry on tray, spreading it deep and evenly, but leaving a little space around the edge to bind pastry edges together
. Brush a little water round the edge of the bottom pastry and fit the other piece on top then use fingers or a fork to stick edges together.
. Bake for 30-40 minutes at about 190 degrees