Origin

In 1830 there was an outbreak of cholera in the Alpine region and so many of the Alpine valleys in the Valais region went into lockdown and social distancing - so this is not something new! Families had to survive on the provisions they had in their barns and because they mainly had the same things, a common recipe emerged leading to a regional speciality dish called “Cholera”. Maybe we can rename it to Corona.

Cholera, traditionally from the Goms area, is a vegetable pie with leeks, potatoes, cheese and apples. In the French-speaking Lower Valais the dish is called le choléra.

Ingredients

For 4-6 persons

Pastry

• 350 g flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 125 g butter cold
• dl water cold

Filling

• 500 g small potatoes (or chopped potatoes)
• 1 large onion
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 300 g leeks
• Salt to taste
• 300 g Alpine cheese Valaisan (Try 50/50 Gouda and Cheddar)
• 400 g chopped apples
• Ground Pepper
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon of water

Preparation

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and mix with the salt. Cut the cold butter into flakes. Grate between your fingers to a crumbly mass. Add the water and quickly knead everything together into a smooth dough, but do not knead for too long, otherwise the dough will become tough during baking. Shape into a rectangle and place in a cool place wrapped in foil for at least 30 minutes.
2. For the filling, peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices.
3. Peel and halve the onion and cut into thin slices. Prepare the leek, wash and also cut into thin slices. Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the onion and leek in it with a little salt for about 5 minutes. Let it cool down.
4. Remove the rind from the cheese and cut into thin slices.
5. Peel and halve the apples and remove the core. Cut the apples into thin slices.
6. Roll out two thirds of the dough into a circle about 3 mm thick. Line a 24 cm coated springform pan with the dough, raising a rim of 5 cm. Spread a little leek on top, then alternate layers of all the prepared ingredients, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Fold the protruding edge over the filling.
7. Roll out the remaining dough also 3 mm thin and cut out a circle of 24 cm diameter.
8. Mix the egg yolk and water and spread a thin layer on the folded edge. Spread the dough circle on the filling and press down on the rim. Cut a hole in the middle with a round cookie cutter. Decorate the pie as you like with leftover dough and finally brush with the egg yolk.
9. Bake the cholera in the oven preheated to 200 degrees on the lowest shelf for about 50 minutes; if the surface darkens too quickly, cover with aluminium foil.