French onion pasty with Gruyère fondue dip

Start by making the pasty dough. Add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl, then rub in the unsalted butter and lard until the flour becomes a ‘sandy’ consistency

Add in 180ml cold water and bring the mix together, then knead for around 8 minutes until the dough becomes elastic 

Cover the dough with cling film in a clean bowl, then leave to rest in the fridge for 3 hours

While the dough is chilling, prepare the French onion soup filling. Add the butter into a large pot, then, once foaming, add in the onion

Cook out for a couple of minutes then add in the brown sugar and a tablespoon of flour

Cook the onions down for about 20-30 minutes, until they caramelise and turn jammy, then in the white wine and let it reduce 

Add in the beef stock along with the fresh thyme and stir well

Bring to a simmer and leave to reduce by half

Preheat the oven to 165°C fan

Once the pastry has chilled, roll it out and cut into circles around 25 cm wide  

Take a few spoons of the filling and add it to the centre of the pasty dough. After lightly brushing the edges with water, fold the pasty in half

Next, crimp the edges together. Using your thumb as a guide, pinch and fold the pastry edge over itself to seal all of the filling into the pasty

Once you have crimped the edge, fold the end corner underneath to fully seal in the filling

Place each pasty on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and brush with egg wash. Bake in the oven for around 50 minutes, until golden brown

While the pasties are baking, prepare the Gruyère fondue dip. Bring the white wine, shallot, garlic, lemon juice and thyme to a simmer, then add in the cheeses

Once the cheeses have melted down, add in the cornflour mix and season with salt and pepper to taste

Once the pasties have come out of the oven, serve them hot alongside the Gruyère fondue dip, topped with a fresh scrunch of black pepper and some freshly picked thyme