Dauphinoise Potato & Caramelised Onion Pithivier

Golden, crisp rough puff pastry encases layers of creamy dauphinoise potatoes and sweet caramelised onions in this impressive vegetarian Pithivier. Combining classic French techniques with comforting flavours, it’s a stunning centrepiece that’s well worth the effort. This recipe was baked as part of our Village Bakers Baking Masterclass in July 2026, where members learned how to make rough puff pastry from scratch before creating this beautifully layered savoury bake.

INGREDIENTS

For the filling:

750g Charlotte potatoes

300ml double cream

300ml whole milk

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbsp oil

large knob of unsalted butter

2 onions, finely sliced

Salt and ground black pepper

For the sauce:

10g unsalted butter

10g plain flour

75g Cheddar

2tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

For the cheat’s rough puff pastry

400g plain flour

pinch of salt

65g unsalted butter, cubed and chilled

120-150ml ice-cold water

160g frozen unsalted butter, grated

1 egg, beaten to glaze

METHOD

Make the filling. Slice the potatoes very thinly. Heat the cream, milk and garlic in a large pan. Add the potatoes, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender but not soft. Drain the potatoes in a sieve, reserving the milky liquid. Spread the potatoes out on a large tray to cool.

Peel and slice the onions, Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook on a low heat until soft, translucent and lightly caramelised. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then chill until needed.

Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan on a medium heat. Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to a paste. Stir the paste over a low heat for 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour flavour, then gradually add the

reserved milky liquid (from Step 1), stirring continuously to a smooth sauce. Add the cheese and tarragon and season to taste with salt & pepper. LEAVE TO COOL.

Make the cheat’s rough puff.

While the filing is chilling, mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Rub in the chilled butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Gradually add enough of the ice-cold water to form a ball of dough.

Lightly flour the work surface and roll the dough out to a 45 x 15cm rectangle.

Scatter half of the frozen grated butter over the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Fold down the top third and fold up the bottom third as if folding a letter.

Turn the folded dough 90 degrees and roll it out again into a 45 x 15cm rectangle. Repeat the process, adding the remaining frozen butter and fold as before. Wrap the dough and leave it to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, or fridge for 30 minutes.

Repeat the rolling and folding process one more time, this time without the butter. Wrap the dough and leave it to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes, or fridge for 30 minutes.

Assemble the pithivier. Lightly flour the work surface and roll out just under half of the pastry until about 3mm thick, then cut out a disc this size of a side plate. Place the disc on the lined baking sheet and cover it with a sheet of baking paper. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut a second disc, about the diameter of a larger dinner plate. Set the larger disc aside.

Layer the cold potatoes, onions and dollops of the cold sauce on top of the smaller pastry disc, seasoning them between each layer with salt and pepper. Aim to create a slightly domed shape and leave a 2cm border around the edge. Brush the pastry border with beaten egg, then gently lay the larger pastry disc over the filling. Press the edges firmly together to seal, then brush the top with beaten egg.

Scallop the base by using your index finger to push down on the edge of the pastry and the finger and thumb of your other hand to pinch the pastry either side.

Holding a small knife blade at right angles to the side of the pastry, ‘knock up’ the edges by making small indentations around the base.

Using the tip of a knife, score curved lines over the top, running downwards from the centre of the top to the base, and taking care not to cut all the way through the pastry.

Brush the top with beaten egg, then chill the pithivier in the freezer for a further 15 minutes, or fridge for 30 minutes (if time allows).

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.

Bake the pithivier for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is golden and crisp.

Remove the baked pithivier from the oven and leave it to cool slightly before serving .