A hearty enclosed pie from Valais filled with potatoes, leeks, apples, and cheese, baked until golden — named during a cholera epidemic when people used what they had.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: baking dish
Garnishes: fresh thyme
Accompaniments: green salad, white wine
Instructions
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1
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
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2
Sauté leeks and onion in butter until softened, about 5 min. Season.
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3
Roll out half the pastry and line a baking dish.
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4
Layer potatoes, sautéed leeks, apple slices, and cheese, seasoning each layer.
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5
Pour cream over the filling.
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6
Roll out remaining pastry for the lid. Seal edges and cut steam vents.
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7
Brush with beaten egg. Bake 40-45 min until golden.
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8
Let cool 10 min before slicing.
Did You Know?
The pie got its name during the 1830 cholera epidemic in Valais, when villagers were quarantined and baked everything they had on hand into one pie.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- baking dish
- rolling pin
- mixing bowl
- knife
Garnishing
fresh thyme
Accompaniments
green salad, white wine
The Story Behind Cholera
Cholera takes its name from the 1830 cholera epidemic that swept through the Valais region. Quarantined villagers combined whatever ingredients they had — potatoes, leeks, apples, cheese — into a single enclosed pie. The name stuck, and this resourceful creation became a beloved Valais specialty that embodies the Swiss Alpine tradition of making extraordinary food from simple, local ingredients.
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