Overnight Free-Form Onion and Mozzarella Pies

Note from Cheri: The recipe and text below are reprinted with permission from 51 Fast and Fun Packaged Dough Recipes by Dolores Kostelni (2006 Collector's Press). If you enjoy cooking with ready made refrigerated doughs and baking mixes, this is a nice little collection of recipes. This is not gourmet fare -- more like potluck church supper fare, and in fact many of these recipes seem perfectly matched to potlucks. Some recipes are "doctoring up" the original packaged product for something much more interesting -- instead of plain old breakfast rolls, how about a sweet breakfast cake? Others make something entirely new and innovative from the packaged mix (salmon with dill and cream cheese foccacia anyone?). Click here for more information about book, along with more sample packaged dough recipes and ordering links through Amazon.com.

Onion and Mozzarella Pies make a great Sunday night supper. They can also be cut into small pieces and served as an appetizer. Sweet onions, such as Walla Walla, Vidalia, Bermuda and OSO Sweet, have a smooth, almost sweet taste as compared with regular yellow onions.

1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 envelope (1 ounce) dehydrated onion soup mix 1 large egg, slightly beaten 1 cup half and half 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces) 2 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 package (15 ounce) refrigerated pie crusts 1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten pinch of salt 1 tablespoon water

Serves 16 1. Combine the thyme, parsley, flour, soup mix, egg, and half and half in a medium bowl. Stir in the mozzarella and onion. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two 15 1/2 X 10-inch baking sheets with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. 3. Unfold a pie crust on each pan. Form a rim on the pie crust by folding over 1 inch of dough along the edge. 4. Fill each pie crust with half the onion mixture, spreading it evenly to the rim. 5. Whisk the egg yolk with the salt and water. Brush the pie crust rim with the egg wash. 6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the crusts of both pies are golden brown. Allow the pies to cool for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving.