Chef Kieron Hales shares recipe for Ham & Cheese pie

(WXYZ) — Kieron Hales, Executive Chef and Managing Partner of Zingerman's Cornman Farms, shares recipe for mouth-watering ham & cheese pie. It's posted below. Enjoy!

Chef Kieron Hales’ Ham & Cheese Pie
Makes two pies, serves four

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons or 20g Pomace oil
½ Cup or 37g Diced red onion
½ Cup or 31g Diced celery
3 ea or 7g Garlic cloves
2 ea large sprigs or 1g Rosemary
4 ½ teaspoons or 8g Kosher salt
2 ½ Tablespoons or 11g All purpose flour
1 Cup or 70g Diced carrots
1 Cup or 86g Diced Idaho potatoes
1 Tablespoon or 5g Dijon mustard
⅓ Cup or 42g Milk full fat
½ Cup very full or 55g Large diced cooked ham
½ Cup or 28g Grated parmesan
1 ½ Cups or 84g Grated cheddar cheese
½ Cup or 28g Peas
2 140g balls of pastry dough (see our recipe below)
2 80g balls of pastry dough (see our recipe below)
1 Egg yolk

Making the Filling:

1. In a heavy-bottom pan, heat 1 tablespoon or 5g of pomace oil for 2-3 minutes. Add red onions and cook until tender, roughly 4 minutes. Add diced celery and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Puree garlic with 3 tablespoons or 15g of pomace oil. Add to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the stove and set aside.
3. In a pot, cover diced carrots with water. Add 1 teaspoon or 2g of salt and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender. Drain the carrots and leave to fully cool in the fridge.
4. Repeat this with the diced potatoes.
5. Place the pan with the onion mixture back on the stove at a medium heat. Once heated, add mustard and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.
6. Add the ham, cheeses and peas to the bowl, but do not stir. Add cooked carrots and potatoes, gently folding into the mix.
7. Taste the mix and adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper. Allow to cool overnight.

Filling the Pie:

1. Heat oven to 375℉.
2. Roll two 140g balls of pastry dough into 7-inch circles to form the pie bases. Roll two 80g balls of pastry dough into 4-inch circles to form the pie tops.
3. Butter your pastry rings, then dust with flour, shaking off excess. Transfer pastry into pastry rings. (Ideally, use two 3 ½” x 2 ⅛” pastry rings with no bottom. Alternatively, use an extra large muffin tin.)
4. Fill each pie crust base just shy of the top. Gently brush water on pie tops and place on top of the base, then crimp along the edges. Bake for 25 minutes.
5. Whisk an egg yolk with a splash of water and a pinch of salt. Remove the pie and brush the top with the egg mixture. Bake for an additional 25 minutes.
6. Remove and allow to cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Chef Kieron Hales’ Pie Crust
Makes two pies with tops, serves four

Ingredients:

150g butter, frozen and grated
220g flour
Pinch of salt
Ice water

Instructions:

1. For best results, freeze the butter overnight. We recommend freezing a full block (pound) of butter as it will make grating a bit easier.
2. Coarsely grate the butter (a standard cheese grater using the largest-holed side). Once grated, re-freeze until ready to use.
3. Combine the salt and flour together in a bowl.
4. Using pastry blender (or the end of long handled spoon) blend in the frozen grated butter until pea-meal consistency.
5. Add just enough ice-cold water to bring the dough together. Form into a ball.
6. Divide the dough into 4 balls; 2 balls weighing 140g each and 2 balls weighing 80g each
7. Wrap each ball in plastic and rest at room temperature for 30-40 minutes. (If not using right away flatten the dough in the plastic wrap before placing in the fridge for up to 6 days. When using, remove from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature prior to use.