Old School Cheese Pie

Old School Cheese Pie or Cheese Flan is nostalgic comfort food. Super easy and super cheesy it's now a family favourite especially when served with homemade chips and beans.

I make mine with ready made pastry because I can and really, really want to midweek, but here's my quiche recipe if you wanna make the pastry from it. It is for the right amount for this here cheese pie.

Why you'll love this recipe

• cheesy
• cheap
• comfort food
• can be eaten cold
• picnic friendly
• versatile - you can throw anything you want right in there with the cheese, cooked broccoli, peppers, cooked bacon , ham, mushrooms, different cheeses, go, go, go
• really easy to make if you use ready made pastry
• nostalgic and retro here in the UK, school dinner city

*There is a full printable recipe card at the bottom of the post but below are step by step pics and instructions as well as tips and tricks for the most stress free version.*

Ingredients

• large onion chopped finelyish into about 1 cm pieces . I use a vegetable chopper they make life sooo easy
• ready made shortcrust pastry 320 grams (11.5 oz)
• 200 grams (7 oz) grated mature cheddar cheese
• 5 large eggs
• 150 mls milk
• salt and pepper

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 and place a baking tray in the oven that is big enough to fit your cheese pie on.
• Fry the chopped onion in a tsp of oil until soft and just turning golden.
• Line your baking tray with the pastry. I recommend using a baking tray that is 30cm x 20 cm because that fits the pastry nicely that comes ready made 320 grams (11.3 oz)
• If you're making your own pastry then roll it out on a floured working surface to 2-3 mm thick and line the baking tray.

• I do a bit of crimping with my thumb and forefinger for artistic merit. You could also use the tines of a fork, whatever you like your pastry to vibe. What would the dinner ladies have done?
• Add in the cooked onions all over the base.

• Now sprinkle the cheese on in there.

• Now beat the eggs and milk together with a fork in a jug

• Pour that in there on top of the cheese and onions as evenly as you can.

• Bake for about 35 - 45 minutes on that preheated baking tray until puffed up and golden brown
• Cut and serve with or without ketchup.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve with my Easy Baked Potato Wedges or homemade chips and baked beans because it just feels a retro match made in haeven.

But of course you could serve with roast potatoes, roasted new potatoes, jackets or mash.

I'm not sure I can be swayed on serving something else that isn't baked beans.

Storing Instructions

Leftovers can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Cheese Pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Freeze in a plastic container or double wrapped in clingfilm and foil.

Reheat leftovers in the microwave in short bursts so it doesn't get overcooked or in a preheated oven at 150 C/300 F for 10 minutes.

Is this cheese flan the same as a quiche?

Kinda. I make my quiche's with cream cheese like my cheese & onion quiche but this is the same principle, beaten eggs with cheese to form the filling.

More Fabulous Old School Recipes

• Savoury Minced Beef
• Corned Beef Hash
• Quiche Lorraine
• Chocolate Cracknell
• Old Fashioned Flapjacks
• Chocolate Crunch
• Jam & Coconut Sponge
• Toad In The Hole
• Minced Beef & Onion Pie
• Iced Buns

Tips

• Use a preheated baking tray so that you don't need to bake the pastry blind.
• Use mature cheddar cheese to keep the whole dish properly cheesy (technical term)
• Throw in there extras to suit, such as cooked bacon bits, cooked broccoli etc
• If the top and pastry edges start to darken too much then cover with silver foil whilst cooking. You are looking for the middle to puff up and rise.
• I like to use a small oven thermometer just so I know exactly what temperature my oven is.
• If your baking tray does not fit the shape of the ready made pastry then my advice is to patch it together by carefully cutting the pastry into pieces to fit and using a little water to join them together. It's not ideal but if you make sure the pastry is properly stuck together it won't be visible once the filling is in there.