Broccoli & blue cheese pie

Name: Broccoli & blue cheese pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 leeks, halved lengthways; 50 g unsalted butter; pinch dried thyme; 4 clove/s garlic, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting; 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 500 ml fresh vegetable stock; 150 ml pot double cream; 1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard; 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh soft herbs (tarragon, dill or parsley)

This one-pan pie mixture can be made a few days (or even weeks) ahead and chilled or frozen until ready to use. You can freeze the sauce before or after adding your chosen filling depending on what you have to hand and your occasion’s requirements. If using leftover veg, the total weight of cheese and veg needs to be about 700g. Then it’s just a matter of topping with ready-made pastry and baking.

A meat pie alternative is available here, and a fish pie here.

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Vegetarian

Serves6
CourseMain meal
Prepare20 mins
Cook1 hr 10 mins
Total time1 hr 30 mins
Plus+ standing

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Ingredients

3 leeks, halved lengthways
50g unsalted butter
pinch dried thyme
4 clove/s garlic, thinly sliced
3 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
500ml fresh vegetable stock
150ml pot double cream
1½ tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh soft herbs (tarragon, dill or parsley)

For the veggie filling

200g vegetarian blue cheese, crumbled
1 head broccoli (steam bitesized florets for 2 minutes, drain and dry on kitchen paper)

For the pie topping

320g Jus-Rol Puff Pastry Sheets
1 egg, beaten

Method

Finely slice the leeks. In a large pan, melt the butter over a low heat. Add the leeks and thyme with a pinch of salt and cook very gently, stirring every so often, for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes more, until the leeks have softened and are starting to colour. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the vinegar and cook for a minute more. Gradually add the stock, a little at a time, stirring constantly, then add the cream, turn the heat up and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer for a couple of minutes until you have a thickened sauce (you can chill or freeze at this stage).
Take off the heat; stir through the mustard, herbs and the broccoli and blue cheese filling. Season, then set aside to cool to room temperature. You can cover and chill this for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 6 weeks.
When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Spoon the filling into a roughly 1.5-litre pie dish. Dust the worktop with flour, then unroll the pastry onto it, rolling it out a little widthways. Lightly brush the edge of the dish with a little beaten egg, then lay the pastry over the top. Press down the edges and trim. Crimp to seal. Use a small knife to make 2 little holes in the middle for steam to escape.
Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg. If you like, reroll the pastry scraps to cut out decorations and arrange on top of the pie, brushing with the egg. Put the pie on a baking tray and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is piping hot, and the pastry risen and golden. Stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

Cook’s tip

LEFTOVERS

Reroll any unused pastry scraps together with grated cheese, then cut into strips or festive shapes and bake to make cheese straws. Eat at once or freeze for later.