Of course, I always think of a pie that is encased in pastry but this is like a Cottage or Shepherds pie.....
- Ingredients (can be varied as required):
- 3-4 Small leeks
- 4-5 white potatoes quartered.
- milk
- grated nutmeg
- butter
- cheddar cheese - grated (Somerset crunch is an excellent choice!)
- salted water
- 1 tsp of plain flour
Simmer the leeks in a little water with a pinch of salt until soft. Do the same for the potatoes - they need to be soft enough so you can make the mash. Drain the leeks reserving some of the liquid for the white sauce. Reserve 3 or 4 of the cooked potato quarters.
To make the sauce, add the flour to the half a cup of cold milk and mix in a saucepan. Then add some of the leek water and more milk and heat to make the white sauce. Season with salt and pepper and some nutmeg and simmer until the sauce thickens.
Take the reserved potatoes and slice and put into a suitable casserole or pie dish together with the leeks. Add the white sauce and mix together in the dish.
Make mash with the rest of the potatoes, butter and a little milk. Mix well and add the grated cheese. Spread this mixture on top of the leeks.
Cook at about 160degC for 30/40 mins until the mash has browned a little.
Enjoy!
