009 / 75 · Centerpieces with a twist
Celeriac-Apple Pie with a Seeded Oat Lid
1 top-crust 23 cm/9 in pie, 8 side-dish portions · Active 40 min · Cook 1 hr 10 min · Total 1 hr 55 min
Print recipe · PDFCeleriac and apple make a pale, aromatic filling under a rough oat-and-seed lid. There is no bottom crust to become soggy during travel; the top is lifted with each spooned portion.
A lid, not a sealed parcel
The filling should be thick and hot when the pastry goes on. Cut three steam slits so it does not push up beneath the lid. A pie without a pastry base is served with a spoon, not promised as a firm handheld slice.
Roll the rough pastry with support
Oats and seeds interrupt the flour network, so this dough is more fragile than plain pastry. Roll between two sheets of parchment, peel off the top sheet, then invert it over the dish and peel away the second. Patch small tears with the trimmings.
Ingredients
- 600 g/1 lb 5 oz peeled celeriac, cut into 1 cm/⅜ in cubes
- Water for boiling celeriac; drain away
- 200 g/7 oz prepared firm apple, diced
- 100 g/3½ oz onion, chopped
- 15 ml olive oil (1 tablespoon)
- 20 g all-purpose flour (about 2½ tablespoons), for sauce
- 200 ml milk (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 20 g Dijon mustard (about 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
- 80 g/3 oz cheddar, grated
- 2 g fine salt (about ⅓ teaspoon), divided 1 g filling and 1 g pastry
- 0.5 g black pepper (¼ teaspoon)
- 120 g all-purpose flour (1 cup), for pastry
- 60 g rolled oats (¾ cup)
- 75 g cold butter (5 tablespoons), diced
- 20 g sunflower seeds (about 2 tablespoons)
- 45 ml cold water (3 tablespoons), plus up to 15 ml if dry
Set out
Oven, 23 cm/9 in round baking dish, usable capacity at least 2.5 L/2⅔ qt, Rimmed tray, Saucepan and colander, Skillet, Two bowls, Knife and board, Rolling pin, Two sheets of parchment, Whisk and spoon, Food thermometer, Foil, Refrigerator
Allergens
Wheat, Milk, Mustard, Celery. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Mix 120 g flour, oats and 1 g salt. Rub in the butter until coarse crumbs form, then mix in sunflower seeds and 45 ml water. Squeeze together, adding only the extra water needed to hold it. Flatten, cover and refrigerate 20 minutes. Heat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Boil celeriac in water 12–15 minutes after the water boils, until almost tender. Drain. Meanwhile heat oil in the skillet and cook onion and apple 7–8 minutes. Stir in 20 g flour for 1 minute, then gradually add all the milk. Simmer 3–4 minutes until thick.
- Stir celeriac, mustard, cheese, pepper and the remaining 1 g salt into the sauce. Transfer all the hot filling to the baking dish on its tray. Keep below two-thirds full before adding the lid.
- Roll the chilled dough between parchment sheets into a 25 cm/10 in circle. Transfer over the dish with the parchment support, remove paper, fold in the edge and cut 3 steam slits. Do not taste raw dough; use all trimmings to patch or thicken the edge.
- Bake 35–40 minutes until the lid is golden and baked through without a damp floury seam, and the filling reaches 165°F/74°C. Shield the rim with foil if needed. Rest 10 minutes, then spoon 8 portions through the oat lid and filling.
Bring it
Carry in its supported dish, covered. Maintain 140°F/60°C or above for hot transport, or chill shallow portions and carry at 40°F/4°C or below. Total unprotected journey/display time may not exceed 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C.
Finish at the gathering
Bring a spoon rather than a cake server. If chilled, arrange a 350°F/180°C oven for 30–40 minutes, covered initially, until the filling reaches 165°F/74°C. A deep cold whole pie can take longer.
Make it yours
A rough-edged lid suits a winter shared supper. Mark the 8 portions in the crust before serving so the first guest does not take half the topping.
Ingredient labels
Celeriac is a celery allergen in some jurisdictions. Flour contains wheat; butter, milk and cheddar contain milk. Check oats, seeds and mustard labels and cross-contact notices.
A useful detail
The 115-minute estimate includes pastry mixing and chilling, vegetable preparation and cooking, up to 40 minutes baking and 10 minutes resting. The filling cooks while the pastry chills.
Another way
- Replace apple with 200 g firm prepared pear for a softer fruit note.
- Use 20 g pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds; chop large seeds before mixing.
Keep it well
Chill shallow portions promptly at 40°F/4°C or below and use within 3 days. Keep the Bring it handling limit across the journey and service. Reheat portions to 165°F/74°C, uncovering near the end to dry the lid; the pastry will soften in storage.