Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie

How to make Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie Recipe - This is almost a potato gratin in a pie, comprising layers of gooey leek, potato slices and Cheddar cheese. Take your time to create the layers, bake well and serve warm with a crisp salad on a lovely spring day.

PASTRY:
1 quantity of Toasted Walnut Short Pastry

FILLING:
4 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 large leeks, cleaned, halved
lengthways and chopped into large pieces
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
350ml sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
180g vintage Cheddar, grated
1 bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method:
Make Toasted Walnut Short Pastry ahead and rest it as required. On a lightly floured surface, roll out to approximately 3mm thick to line a 22cm spring-form cake tin (5.5cm deep). Lightly oil the tin, then line with pastry, trimming it 2cm from the top of the tin. Place into the refrigerator to chill.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil, add the sliced potatoes and cook for 3–4 minutes until beginning to soften. Drain well and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the chopped leek, season with salt and pepper and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the leeks and garlic to cool slightly (15 minutes).

Mix together in a large bowl the sour cream, eggs, mustard, most of the Cheddar (reserving about 4 tablespoons for the top), the chives, parsley and a good pinch of salt. Stir in the cooled leeks and garlic.

Remove the pastry-lined tin from the refrigerator. Cover the base of the pie with a single layer of well-drained potato, then spoon the creamy leek mixture over the potato, repeating until both the potato and leek mixture is used up, with the last layer being the potato.

Place the pie into a preheated 190°C oven and bake for 40–45 minutes. Scatter the remaining Cheddar over the top and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes until it has turned golden in colour. The filling should still be gooey, but hold its shape when cut into wedges.

Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie