Cheddar and Leek Puff Pastry Plait

Every Christmas at school, the staff have what is known as a 'Shared Table' or a buffet lunch, where every member of staff brings in some form of party food and during the lunch break, staff are free to grab a plate of food for lunch. Now, having brought in some form of yummy treat every Friday throughout the term the pressure was kind of on for me...there was no way I could just bring in something shop bought. So after much discussion and consideration of what I had available in the house that needed to be used up before Christmas, I decided to go for this traditional pastry snack. Not very challenging, but my pastry work was practiced and improved.

***

Ingredients

500g Puff Pastry
2 Leeks
250g Cheddar Cheese
1 Egg (2 if you prefer egg wash to milk)
Salt
Pepper
A little splash of Milk
Flour for the work surface

1. Preheat the oven to 180degreesC.

2. Chop the leeks into sizeable chunks and grate the cheese. Stir in a large bowl until mixed thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Beat the egg and pour into the cheese and leek mixture. Stir until everything is coated in the egg. Leave to stand whilst preparing the pastry.

4. Flour the work surface and your rolling pin. Roll the puff pastry into an oblong shape approximately 30cm long and 20cm wide.

5. Begin to spoon the cheese and leek mixture into the middle of the pastry, leaving a border of about 5cm all the way around the oblong. Pat the mixture into a neat sausage shape making sure it is rather tight and compact.

6. Starting at the left hand side (closest to you) of the plait, using a sharp knife, cut several strips diagonally downwards about 2cm apart from one another, working your way along the pastry. Repeat this on the other side.

7. Take the first pastry strip from the side closest to you and fold it tightly over the cheese and leek mixture, then take the first pastry strip from the side furthest to you and fold it over....causing a 'criss-cross' or plait type pattern. Do this all the way along the pastry, making sure each piece is tight around the mixture.

8. At the top and bottom ends you will have some excess pastry left over. It is important that you tightly seal the plait so that the cheese and leek filling doesn't petrude whilst in the oven. What I did here was just trim the pastry and then neatly fold it over then compressed it with a fork to make a nice frilly pattern at each end.

9. Before placing the plait in the oven put it onto a sheet of baking paper and pop it onto a baking tray. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the outside of the plait with the milk/beaten egg. This will make the pastry nicely crisp and golden and will act as a glue, piecing the pastry together.

10. Bake in the oven for about 30mins, or until piping throughout.

***

This was actually much nicer than I thought it was going to be. I've always been very honest in that I'm not too confident with my savoury snacks (especially pastry) but the flavours were sooo yummy together and really complemented one another.

And I'm really quite impressed at how it looked - not too shabby and rather professional, I think!! I made a little mini one and had it hot at home and I must say that it was so much nicer hot than cold, but was still a tasty snack. Well, at least the staff clearly thought so as there was a not a crumb left!!

Bon Appetit!!

Sausage and Leek Pie

So, it's been a while since I made some pastry and I kinda thought it was one of those things were you either 'use it, or lose it' so I asked Andy for some ideas of a pie filling he would like me to try out. We had some leeks in the fridge that I got for a bargain price of 69p and they were looking a bit worse for wear, so we researched some leek pie ideas. Alot were cheese based (Andy can't have cheese based sauces) and others involved using chicken (chicken is really expensive so kind of ruins the idea of making a poor man's pie) so we came up with the idea of combining sausages and leeks - we thought why not, afterall you have sausages with onion gravy and leeks are from the same family, so I gave it a shot.

***

Ingredients

(I used the same sized dish as with the Minced Beef and Potato Pie - serves 6)

Pie Filling                                       Pastry

8 Pork Sausages                           400g Plain Flour

3 Leeks                                          200g Butter

30g Butter                                     2 Pinches of Salt

30g Plain Flour                             4 tbsp Cold Water

300ml Milk

3 tsp Mustard (your choice)
Salt
Pepper
1 egg

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and add the butter in SMALL CUBES (you will see why I stress this later!) Crumble with your fingers until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Add the water, little by little and when the pastry begins to combine and can 'clean' the side of the bowl, you know it's ready. Knead into a ball and wrap in cling film. Leave in the fridge to chill for at least half an hour. (If you make the pastry like this, you will have enough for a pie bottom AND lid, so when it gets to just after step 3, you will be able to line your pie dish with your pastry here....however I messed it up, as you will see!)

2. Preheat the oven to 180degreesC.

3. Grill/fry the sausages until browned on the outside. Chop into chunks and place in your pie dish.

4. Fry the chopped leeks in the butter and season with salt and pepper. Once all the butter has melted sprinkle the flour over the leeks and stir continuously. Leave to cook for 3mins or so. Take off the heat and add the milk slowly, yet again, stirring continuously. Add the mustard and season with the salt and pepper.

5. Pour the creamy leek mixture over the sausages that are already cut up in the pie dish.

6. Roll out the pastry and lay on the top of your pie. Use the beaten egg wash and a pastry brush to spread it evenly on the pie lid to get a lovely golden colour. Place on a backing tray in the oven for about 40-45mins.

***

We both absolutely loved this pie hot, with a bit of mash and some boiled carrots, however, Andy wasn't so keen on it cold as apparently the leeks tasted like 'jellied slimey eels'....I thought it was scrummy though. 

But, I must admit I MAJORLY cocked up the pastry this time (I told you - use it or lose it!) because I was trying to be clever and take a short cut, so instead of adding the butter in small cubes, I added it all in one go. Consequently when I tried to roll out the pastry it kept crumbling, so I added water then it kept sticking...basically it was a right old mess!!! Furthermore, because I cheated the gluten didn't form properly and therefore the pastry didn't expand to the right quantity, so instead of having a pastry bottom and top, we only had the lid. Whoops!!!

So....because I cocked the pastry up so much, I didn't take a photo, sorry! It just looked like a completely botched up 'pie', but trust me when I say it tasted yummy!!

Why don't you give it a go and add your piccies?? Let me know how it goes guys :)

Bon Appetit!!

Leek, Potato and Bacon Bake

Being a student and all, it's really important not to throw away food....nothing I buy is ever thrown away or allowed to perish. I still had some leeks left over from making the quiche the other day, so I started looking at ways of using them up cheaply, with ingredients I've already got in the fridge/cupboard/freezer. I found this recipe and thought I'd give it a go. Known in French as 'Pommes Boulangere', it's a pretty simple, filling and healthy meal ....aka good student grub!! 

***

Ingredients

(Serves 2-3)

600g potatoes, peeled

2 leeks

5 bacon rashers

3/4 pint vegetable stock

Black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200degreesC. 

2. Put the vegetable stock on the stove and allow to boil. Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the potatoes and chop the leeks. Add the potatoes and leeks to the stock and work them up to the boil again, season with black pepper. Allow to boil for 5minutes.

3. Lightly fry the bacon until the oil has turned clear. Chop into little pieces and allow to cool.

4. Drain and keep the stock from the potato and leek mixture. Arrange the potatoes and leeks into an oven proof dish and scatter the pieces of bacon on the top of the potatoes. Wrap the dish in foil and bake in the oven for 20mins. After 20mins remove the foil and cook for a further 20mins to allow the bacon to crisp up.

***

I really liked this meal. A very cheap, warming dish that can easily be blended into a lovely soup and served with home made wholemeal bread. When making the dish, I thought maybe the bacon would be best scattered throughout the layers, but after trying it on the top, I would say that the crisped up bacon is perfect - a different texture and the saltiness adds flavour to the potatoes. Plus, presentation wise, the colour looks fab! I did think about grating cheese on top, but it really didn't need it. It tastes a bit like a vegetable stew and dumplings would be perfect with it. 

Bon Appetit!!

Bacon and Leek Quiche

Well, with the recent drastic change in temperatures, I thought I would make the most of it and bake what I would call a 'classic summer supper'. If it had been a particularly humid day, mum had been at work, dad had taken us to feed the ducks, you could guarantee that for dinner we would have a nice fresh salad (we weren't children who were scared of veg!) with a gorgeous home made quiche. Also, every single birthday party we had you could assume there would be a range of quiches on the table! So, here is my version of a classic bacon and leek quiche....give it a go! 

***

Ingredients

(This quiche will fit any tin between 8-10inches)

Filling                                                                                        Pastry

6 bacon rashers                                                                         175g plain flour

1 average leek                                                                            115g butter (room temp)

3 large mushrooms                                                                    2 egg yolks

300ml milk (or double cream if you are feeling indulgent)    Pinch of salt

3 eggs AND 2 extra yolks

Black pepper

Grated cheese (enough to cover the top)

1. Start by making the pastry - sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and mix. Add the butter and using your finger tips rub the ingredients until they form breadcrumbs. Add one egg yolk to the mix and combine using your hands until you can roll the pastry into a ball. Leave the pastry to rest for 20mins in the mixing bowl and cover with a cloth. Pre heat the oven to 200degreesC.

2. On a floured work surface roll the pastry out until even in thickness and round to fit your size tart dish. Using your rolling pin, lift the pastry on top of the tin and lightly press the pastry so that it fits the dish. Cut off any excess and use to bulk up thinner areas of the pastry case. Using a fork, lightly press the base several times. Cover the case with baking paper and fill with baking beans/rice and blind bake for 20mins. 

3. Remove the baking paper and beans/rice from the tin. Using the additional egg yolk, lightly brush the pastry case with the egg. This will firm up the pastry case to avoid the dreaded 'soggy bottom' syndrome. DO NOT use the egg wash on the top part of the pastry - only the insides. Place back in the oven and cook for another 3-4 mins when the pastry will begin to crisp and look golden. 

4. Cut the bacon strips into small pieces and lightly fry (or if you have a separate oven and grill, grill it) until the fat turns clear. Prepare and chop the leek and mushrooms. In another mixing bowl whisk the milk (or cream) with the 3 eggs and 2 extra yolks until combined. Season with black pepper. 

5. Remove the pastry case from the oven and layer the bacon pieces on the bottom of the tin. Arrange the leeks and mushroom to your aesthetic taste and then pour the milk and egg mixture over the ingredients. DO NOT be tempted to press the leeks/mushrooms down as they will be soggy when you tuck into your quiche. Also, DO NOT be tempted to over fill your quiche - this will result in the liquid pouring out of the case, making the case soggy and burning in certain areas. Cover the quiche with cheese and cook for 15mins.

6. After 15mins reduce the oven temperature to 180degreesC and bake for a further 20mins. Your quiche will look golden, smell divine, and be very hot!!

***

I love my quiche cold, with pickles, salads and fresh beetroot. This is the perfect summer recipe as it is very light with a perfect filling:pastry ratio and can easily be adapted to personal tastes. Great to share with friends and family whilst enjoying the sun - perfect if you fancy a spot of 'high tea'. These photos honestly don't do it justice, trust me, it's gorrrrrgeous....well, try it yourself!

Bon Appetit!!