Potato, leek and blue cheese pie

Potato, leek and blue cheese pie

Winter

Sometimes I write a poem instead of a recipe introduction. It depends on the dish and how I’m feeling. I was going to do it here. ‘Death of a meat pie’ or something like that. In the end I didn’t know if I’d be able, through rhyme alone, to convey how wonderful this pie really is. But now I glance over at the picture of it, hot and bubbling, straight from the oven, even words seem frivolous things, quite redundant altogether.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the potato topping

  • 1kg (2lb 4oz) large white potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled
  • 175ml (5½fl oz) whole milk
  • 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter
  • Sea salt

For the filling

  • 4 leeks, trimmed and sliced into 3cm rounds
  • 1 tbsp thyme leaves
  • 100g (3½oz) unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 50g (1¾oz) plain flour
  • 125ml (4fl oz) whole milk
  • 180ml (5¾fl oz) double cream
  • 150g (5½oz) frozen peas
  • 100g (3½oz) blue cheese, crumbled into small chunks
  • 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

First, make the topping. Cut the potatoes into equal-sized pieces no smaller than a golf ball. Place in a large pan, cover with salted water and bring to the boil over a medium–high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until tender. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and allow them to steam for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, gently heat the milk and butter together in a small pan until the butter has melted.

Begin mashing the potatoes. After a minute or so, gradually add the hot milk and butter mixture. Continue to mash until well combined, smooth, light and lump-free. Season with salt and set aside to keep warm.

Make the filling. Place a pan on a medium heat. Add the leeks, half the thyme leaves, 25g (1oz) of the butter, and the garlic. Add 100ml (31⁄2fl oz) of water, season with salt and pepper and place a lid on the pan. Steam the leeks for 6–8 minutes, or until just tender. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas mark 6.

Set a colander over a bowl, drain the leeks in the colander and reserve all the cooking liquid.

Rinse the pan and return it to a medium heat. Add the remaining butter and, when it’s melted, add the flour and stir well with a wooden spoon. Cook the flour on a low heat, stirring regularly, for 1 minute or so. Then, add the leek cooking liquid, along with the milk and double cream. Whisk the sauce enthusiastically until it’s thick, smooth and creamy.

Stir in the peas and tender leeks and half the blue cheese. Add the parsley and plenty of salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into a dish and level it out. Heap the mashed potato on top in big clumps (you don’t need to be overly neat). Dot over the remaining cheese and sprinkle over the last of the thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 15–20 minutes, until the top is golden and crisping up in places and the creamy leeks are bubbling up round the edges. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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