Ham and Cabbage Pie

This ham and cabbage pie is actually a twist on a classic Irish dish: bacon and cabbage. We've switched the bacon for ham to make it more hearty. This savoury pie filling is so incredibly tasty when topped with puff pastry.

Meat and Veggies:
1 medium head green cabbage, 2 lb 8 oz
2½ cups smoked ham, chopped
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (1½ large onions)
2 Tbsp. cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. salted butter

Gravy:
3½ Tbsp. salted butter
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, unbleached
½ cup whole milk
1½ cups chicken stock
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
¾ tsp. dried thyme leaves
¼ tsp. ground sage

Pastry:
1.3 lb puff pastry
1 large egg, beaten

Making the Filling:
Remove the stem and outer leaves from the cabbage, cut in wedges, then chop in bite-sized pieces. Rinse in a colander, then place in a large Dutch oven and add 3 inches of water. Cover and bring to a boil, then let the cabbage simmer, covered, until crisp-tender, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Cut the ham into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Chop the onions and mince the garlic, then sauté with the 2 Tbsp. of butter in a large skillet until golden brown. Spoon into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt 3½ Tbsp. of butter and whisk in the flour. Cook over medium heat for a couple minutes, whisking constantly.

Whisk in the milk, then the chicken stock. Keep stirring until the gravy has thickened, then season with salt, pepper, dried thyme, and sage.
Stir the sautéed onion mixture and chopped ham into the gravy and heat through. Spoon the gravy into a large bowl and stir in the cabbage until it's well mixed.

Spread the filling evenly in a 6-cup (1.4 L) capacity pie dish, and let it cool for a while before you put the pastry on top.

Assembling the Pie:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C/180°C fan, Gas Mark 6).

Roll out the chilled rough puff pastry and cut out a lid to fit on top of the pie. Use the remaining pastry to cut strips of pastry to go around the lid of the pie plate.

Brush the lip of the pie plate with beaten egg and stick on the strips of pastry. Brush the pastry with more beaten egg, then stick on the lid, pressing the edges firmly to seal. Brush the whole pie with beaten egg and decorate with any scraps of pastry. Cut a few vent holes to allow the steam to escape.

Bake for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Cover any areas of the pastry that are darkening too quickly with aluminum foil.

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Cook’s Notes:

• Adjust the seasonings to taste.
• Whisk the gravy well as you're making it, or it will be lumpy.
• Don't skip the egg wash. This is what makes the pastry golden as it bakes.
• Let the pie cool before serving to allow the filling to thicken.
• Leftovers will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge if they're tightly covered.