Welsh Onion Cake

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Welsh Onion Cake – layers of thinly sliced potatoes and lightly caramelised sweet, onions are cooked in lashings of seasoned butter until the top is golden and crispy and the centre is soft and melts in the mouth. Seasoned with salt and pepper, and with the addition of fresh rosemary or thyme, this glorious, comforting dish, using truly humble ingredients, would grace both the smartest or most casual supper table.

How can I serve this dish?

This very versatile dish is as at home served alongside a venison casserole, as it is served with baked beans and fried egg. It works wonderfully well with smoked salmon, sour cream, fresh dill and gherkins and is also fabulous with grilled sausages and onion gravy. Use your imagination, or simply dig in with a spoon!

Can I increase the onions?

Although known as Welsh Onion Cake, this traditional recipe is predominately a potato dish; this version uses minimal onions, but you can easily increase the quantity to suit your palate.

How to make Welsh Onion Cake

Collect all your ingredients together:

• brown onions, thinly sliced or chopped
• unsalted butter
• fine salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• olive oil
• fresh rosemary or thyme
• potatoes, I use Maris Piper
• chopped fresh herbs to garnish, such as parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme

How to make this delectable potato dish:

1. Peel the onions and chop or slice – I like to chop mine finely, but this is down to personal taste.
2. Heat the butter in a cast iron pan or oven proof frying pan, roughly 22 cms diameter.
3. When melted, pour roughly ¾ of the butter into a large bowl and mix with the salt and pepper.
4. Add the olive oil to the remaining butter in the cast iron/frying pan and tip in the chopped onions and fresh rosemary or thyme. Cook for 15 minutes over a moderate to low heat, until soft and lightly caramelised. Stir from time to time.
5. Meanwhile, slice the potatoes as finely as possible; this is much quicker and easier if you have a mandoline to hand. I place the mandoline over the large bowl with the butter and slice the potatoes directly into the bowl.
6. Toss thoroughly to make sure all the potatoes are covered in butter.
7. When the onions are cooked, tip out of the pan onto a plate and remove the fresh herb stems.
8. Layer the potatoes and onions in the same pan – potatoes, onion, potatoes, onion, potatoes onion and potatoes. Don’t forget to add any remaining butter from the bowl into the pan – if the weather is cold, it may have solidified on the sides of the bowl. If so, scrape off with a spatula and add to the pan – it will melt into the potatoes as the dish cooks.
9. Press down firmly on the potatoes, cover with foil, and bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 45 minutes. Take the foil off the potatoes and return to the oven for a further 45 minutes. Test to make sure the potatoes are cooked through, very soft, and the top is golden and crispy. If not, pop back in the oven until cooked to your liking. If the potatoes are getting too brown, cover again with some foil.
10. When ready, take out of the oven, carefully tip the pan slightly, and using a heat proof pastry brush, dip the brush in the butter and brush lightly over the surface of the potatoes. Pop back in the oven for 5 minutes.
11. Take out of the oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. I like to sprinkle with a little parsley, or you could use chopped rosemary, thyme or chives.

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Made this recipe?

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