FOOD: French-style flat leek pie to die for

ST Bridget’s Day has passed and, for some, this means we are now in the season of spring. A few brave daffodils have already emerged in my garden, but a gale is making them bend precariously.
To my mind, we’re still in the thick of winter. The lovely produce of spring has yet to come – the fresh leaves, broccoli, asparagus – and we’re still in root-vegetable territory. So, bring on the leeks and the potatoes!

Lovely leeks
THE first thing we learnt to cook in Home Economics at the Sacred Heart School, Westport, was leek and potato soup. I was reminded of this when I attended the recent open night with my daughter and we toured the Home Ec kitchen – fancier than in my day, but I imagine they still start with the basics like a good old leek and potato soup. I’m looking forward to my daughter practicing this recipe at home!
Leeks are delicious, versatile and easy to prepare. But watch out, beneath the tightly packed layers there can lurk a lot of grit. If you are roasting whole leeks, trim the leaves off, cut off the roots and stand in a tall jug of water, root end up, for about 15 minutes until the grit floats away.
For this recipe, you just need to chop the leeks into circles, wash well but gently – a few times – in a colander, drain, then pat dry with a clean tea towel. A flat leek pie like this (it originates in Northern France; you will see this and other versions in some French bakeries and delis) is quick and simple to make, but it tastes divine.
You could serve this dish for lunch with a fresh green salad. If you like, you could add bacon to the filling – just fry up 100g of lardons and add to the mix.

French-style flat leek pie

What you need
500g pre-made puff pastry
1 medium white onion, sliced
375g leeks, sliced
125ml double cream
1 teaspoon of flour, sieved
125g butter
Salt and pepper
Beaten egg to glaze

What you do
PREHEAT the oven to 220ºC. Using one knob of butter, cook the onion on a low heat till soft. Add the other knob of butter and the washed and dried leek slices. Place a lid on the saucepan and leave for about five minutes, until the leeks wilt.
Remove the lid. If there is a lot of moisture, cook with the lid off until the excess liquid has evaporated. You are looking for moist rather than wet leeks – too much liquid will make the pastry soggy.
In a bowl, gradually whisk the cream into the flour to make a paste, then stir this into the leek and onion mix. Cook for a minute, remove from heat and allow to cool down till it’s lukewarm. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut two circles from the pastry, one a bit bigger than the other. Place the smaller circle on greased baking parchment on a baking tin. Spoon the cooled leek mix into the centre and spread out, leaving a 2cm rim.
Brush the rim with the beaten egg then place the larger pastry over the top. Press the edges firmly together. Roll up the pastry edges to create a crust and scallop the edges – use your thumb and fingers to create a flute effect. Glaze the whole pie with egg wash and, to make it look prettier, you can use a knife score a simple x design in the pastry.
Make a hole in the centre of the pastry then pop the pie in the oven at 220ºC for the first 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180ºC for around 20 minutes. The pie is ready when the centre has risen and the pastry is a shiny golden brown. Voilà!

Redmond and Sandra Cabot live in Lanmore, outside Westport, with their children, Penny and Louis. Fresh, seasonal foods are their passion – shopping at country markets, growing their own veg and producing their own dips and sauces and for sale.