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I love this recipe for a ham & cheese pithivier. It’s a round puff pastry pie, filled with rich caramelised onions, melty camembert, curls of ham and lots of nutty Gruyere. As it bakes, it puffs up, turning golden and crisp. The cheese melts on the inside, so you get bites of crisp pastry and warm melted cheese. It makes a perfect centrepiece for hosting friends, cooking for family, or making a delicious lunch, just for you.
But what exactly is a pithivier? How is it different from other French pastries like the galette des rois? And most importantly, how do you bake one without ending up with soggy pastry or a leaking filling?
In this guide, I’ll share everything you need to know: from the history of a perfect pithivier, to step-by-step tips and a recipe for a savoury Ham and Cheese Pithivier. I’ll also cover variations, make-ahead strategies, and troubleshooting. For more cheesy recipes like this, try my deep fried brie or roasted camembert loaf.
Table of Contents
What is a Pithivier?
A pithivier is a traditional French pie made by sandwiching a filling between two circles of puff pastry. The edges are sealed, the top is scored with decorative curved lines, and the whole pastry is baked until gloriously puffed and golden.
- Origin: Named after the town of Pithiviers in France.
- Classic version: Sweet, filled with frangipane.
- Modern variations: Savoury pithiviers with cheese, vegetables, ham, or mushrooms are now popular.
Pithivier vs Galette des Rois
The pithivier is often confused with the galette des rois, also made with puff pastry and almond cream. The key differences are:
- Galette des rois is tied to Epiphany, and traditionally, you bake a fève (small charm) into it. This is for the tradition that whoever gets the fève in their slice is the king for the evening, as Epiphany is about the Three Kings.
- Pithiviers don’t usually have a fève and can be made sweet or savoury.
Why you will love this recipe:
- This recipe is a showstopper with its golden dome.
- The base recipe is versatile – sweet or savoury, vegetarian or meat-based.
- Make-ahead friendly – you can assemble, chill or freeze, then bake when you need it.
- Practical – Easy to slice and serve, making it great for buffets and dinner parties.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Camembert – this is a soft ripened cheese from Normandy, France. It has a creamy texture and buttery flavour, that melts really well.
Onions – I like caramelised onions in the base of this for some balance. White onions work well, but so do shallots and red onions.
Sour cream – this keeps the whole pithivier moist and saucy, so it doesn’t dry out.
Ready-rolled puff pastry – I always keep a packet of ready-rolled pastry in the freezer. I like the rolled sheets, as I say, but you could also buy the pre-made blocks and roll it yourself.
Substitutions and Variations:
No camembert – of course, adding the camembert is delicious and makes it extra indulgent, but it is entirely optional. This would be great with just onions, ham, cheese and sour cream. Bake as usual.
Vegetarian – skip the ham or add some caramelised mushrooms in its place.
Festive – for a festive twist, add turkey, cranberry sauce on the base instead of caramelised onion.
Here’s how to make a delicious ham & cheese pithivier:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Start by caramelising the onions. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
TWO: Add the onions and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in the brown sugar and red wine vinegar, cooking for a further 5 minutes until caramelised and jammy. Set aside to cool slightly.
THREE: Roll out the puff pastry sheets a little to enlarge them. Cut one circle about 23cm in diameter (for the base) and a second slightly larger circle about 26cm (for the lid). Preheat the oven to 200c fan.
FOUR: Place the smaller pastry circle on the prepared tray. Spread the caramelised onions evenly over the base.
FIVE: Sit the Camembert in the centre. Arrange the ham around the cheese in a ring.
SIX: In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the Dijon mustard, then spoon it over the ham.
SEVEN: Scatter generously with the grated Gruyère.
EIGHT: Brush the edge of the pastry base with beaten egg. Lay the larger pastry circle over the filling, folding the edges and pressing down firmly around the edges to seal. Then crimp the edges with a fork.
NINE: Cut a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Score decorative curved lines from the centre outwards.
TEN: Brush all over with egg wash. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden, and crisp, and the filling is bubbling inside.
Cooking Tips:
Chilled: Keep pastry cold for maximum rise in the oven.
If you’re worried of it leaking, you can chill the assembled pithivier in the fridge 15 minutes before baking. This chills the cheese to stop it from leaking out so much.
Avoiding soggy bottom: If you’re oven doesn’t run very hot, preheat the tray in the oven first then transfer the pithivier onto the hot tray to ensure a crisp underside.
Scoring pastry: Use the tip of a sharp knife to score shallow curved lines from centre to edge for that signature pithivier look. Don’t press hard or you’ll cut the pastry which is not what you want.
Troubleshooting:
Pastry didn’t rise: Likely over-handled or too warm. Chill well before baking.
Filling leaked: Avoid overfilling and ensure a strong egg wash seal.
Top browned too fast: Cover with foil and continue baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can freeze the ham and cheese pithivier if you are making it without the camembert. Assemble the pithivier, freeze it uncooked. When ready to bake, cover with the egg wash then cook from frozen, adding an extra 10–15 minutes to the baking time.
If you prefer a different cheese, Brie or a mild blue cheese like Gorgonzola can be excellent alternatives. Choose a cheese that melts well and complements the other flavours.
Yes, you can assemble the pithivier and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like this recipe for a pithivier, you should try my ham & cheese croissant bake, my courgette tart or my torta pasqualina. My chicken mushroom mini vol au vents are delicious too.
Helpful Tips
Everything You Need To Know About: Camembert
Christmas Recipes
Camembert en Croute (Whole Baked Camembert in Puff Pastry)
Easy Baking Recipes
Carrot Cake Tray Bake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Puddings
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
If you tried this Pithivier or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Ham and Cheese Pithivier
Ingredients
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 25 g butter
- 1 tbsp soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry, or one 500g puff pastry block
- 1 whole Camembert, approx 250g, unwrapped
- 150 g ham, sliced or torn
- 300 ml sour cream
- 1 heaped tbsp Dijon mustard
- 100 g Gruyère, grated
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
- Start by caramelising the onions. Melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook for 8–10 minutes until softened. Stir in the brown sugar and red wine vinegar, cooking for a further 5 minutes until caramelised and jammy. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 200°C Fan / 430°F.
- Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.
- Roll out the puff pastry sheets a little to enlarge them. Cut one circle about 23cm in diameter (for the base) and a second slightly larger circle about 26cm (for the lid).
- Place the smaller pastry circle on the prepared tray. Spread the caramelised onions evenly over the base.
- Sit the Camembert in the centre. Arrange the ham around the cheese in a ring. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream with the Dijon mustard, then spoon it over the ham.
- Scatter generously with the grated Gruyère.
- Brush the edge of the pastry base with beaten egg. Lay the larger pastry circle over the filling, folding the edges and pressing down firmly around the edges to seal. Then crimp the edges with a fork.
- Cut a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Score decorative curved lines from the centre outwards. Brush all over with egg wash.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed, golden, and crisp, and the filling is bubbling inside.
- Let the pithivier rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a simple green salad.
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This baked ham and cheese pithivier is golden and crisp on the outside, but the ham and cheese on the inside is melted and gooey. It’s one of my favourite recipes!