British Food: Leeky Pie

Leeks and cream are a classic combination found in a many traditional British recipes. Bacon and Leek Pie or Leeky Pie, is an old recipe popular in Cornwall , Somerset and Devon and is real country food. Here's how to make it!








As with any dish with history, there are as many variations as there are good cooks. A traditional method for this dish is to add the cream towards the end of the cooking time through the slits in the pastry, or to remove the pastry altogether, add the cream, them put the pastry back! This seems like a recipe for disaster to me so I just add the cream before the dish goes into the oven and I've never had a problem. If you want to try it the traditional way, go ahead and let me know how it turns out!


I like to serve this pie with a mashed root vegetable. This time I made mashed rutabaga (or swede for my fellow Brits!) with lots of pepper. Yum!!




Leeky Pie

1 lb leeks, white and green parts
8oz thick cut bacon fat removed and chopped
salt and pepper
1/3 cup of whole milk
1/3 cup of light cream
2 eggs separated
1/4 cup light cream
1 sheet frozen puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and let defrost for 40 minutes.

Chop the leeks into rings and wash thoroughly to remove any trapped soil. In a large lidded skillet, toss the leeks with the bacon pieces and season with lots of salt and pepper. Pour the milk and cream over the top, cover, bring to a boil then simmer until the leeks and bacon are cooked and the liquid reduced, about twenty to twenty five minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of cream. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Pour over the bacon and leeks and gently mix together.

Pour into a greased pie dish. Roll out the puff pastry and cover the dish, pinching the edge to seal. Cut two slits in the center of the pastry.

Bake for thirty minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.

This recipe is adapted from the book English Country Recipes which I think is out of print.

Enjoy!

Sue

Pin this on Pinterest