Directions:
First, make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl with a good pinch of salt and add the butter and lard, if using. Rub the fat in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add all but a tablespoon of the egg. If using the Marmite, whisk it into the milk, then drizzle this into the pastry, mixing until you have a firm dough. Alternatively, just add enough milk to bind the pastry together, making sure it isn’t crumbly.
Dust your work surface with flour. Take two-thirds of the dough and roll it out to fill a 20cm round cake or pie tin. Put the pastry-lined tin and the remaining dough in the fridge to chill until ready to fill.
For the filling, slice the potatoes quite thinly. Mix the grated cheese, onion and herbs together in a bowl and season with a lot of black pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
To assemble the pie, press about a third of the cheese mixture over the base layer of pastry. Top with a layer of potatoes, then repeat with another layer of the cheese mixture. Add a second layer of potatoes, then top with the remaining cheese mixture. Press everything down quite firmly.
Roll out the remaining pastry and use it to top your pie. Trim and crimp the edges together and cut a couple of steam holes in the top. Brush the pie with the reserved egg.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until the filling is piping hot and the pastry is golden.
I await your comments! Enjoy!
