Leek, Cheese and Potato Pie

Who doesn’t like a pithivier or pie. This one is delicious. It is made with two sheets of puff pastry and is fun to pepare. No dish is needed, simply cut out baking sheet circles and bake. The entire filling is encased in pastry so there’s plenty of crunch.

Leek-Cheese-Potato pie

Equipment

  • 2 Baking sheets lined with parchment paper
  • 20 cm and 23 cm round cake tin or cut around a template
  • Small sharp knife
  • Pastry brush
  • Large frying pan
  • Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 leeks thinly sliced, yielding approx. 275g
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 250 g boiled/precooked potatoes
  • 2 eggs
  • A few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 250 g Lancashire cheese, crumbled (you can use any hard cheese if you prefer)
  • 2 x 375 g sheets of ready-rolled puff pastry
  • Sea salt flakes
  • Black pepper
     

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and ½ tsp salt flakes and cook while stirring for 10-15 minutes or until very soft and lightly browning.
  2. Add the garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a further minute, then add the thyme. Stir and remove from heat.
  3. Transfer the leak mixture to a large bowl and add the potato, 1 egg and the cheese. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, mix well to combine and then chill while you prepare the pastry.
  4. Cut a circle with a diameter of 23 cm from one of the pastry sheets. Then, using a small sharp knife, gently score curved lines into the pastry from the centre outwards. Take care not to cut all the way through and leave a border of approximately 5 cm from the outside edge of the pastry. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 200 °C – fan setting..
  6. Cut another circle with a diameter of 20 cm from the second pastry sheet and place on a lined baking tray,
  7.  Add the filling in the centre of the pastry and press with clean hands to neaten, leaving a 5 cm border.
  8. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg then top with the second larger pastry circle, cut-side up. Fold the pastry over the filling and press the edges to the bottom circle to seal. Brush all over with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt flakes. Chill for 30 minutes.
  9. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until crisp and golden.
  10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly.
  11. Cut the pithivier into wedges and serve with salad or greens.