Welsh Leek Pie Recipes

PETER'S HOMEMADE WELSH PIE

Steps:

• 1. To make the pastry...sift the flour into a large bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs
• 2. Stir in the salt, then add 2-3 tbsp. water and mix to a firm dough. Knead the dough briefly and gently on a floured surface. wrap in cling film and chill while preparing the filling
• 3. Pie filling.... Fry the smoked bacon and spicy sausage in virgin olive oil, until golden brown. Leave to cool. Then add to the roughly mashed potato
• 4. Grate cheese and put to one side
• 5. Peel and slice 1 leek and 4 onions into bite size pieces, peel potatoes, slice into quarters. Boil together with a pinch of salt, until soft. Drain once cooked, add 1lb of cheese, leave to cool then mash roughly
• 6. Wash and cut up remaining leek and onions, set aside.
• 7. Roll out pastry to fit your selected pie dish(es). Then add the cooled potato mix, before adding the pastry to the pie top, add raw onions, remaining leek and rest of cheese. place pastry topping to pie mix, cut two small slits in pastry top
• 8. Egg wash to pastry top
• 9. cook 180C, 350F. Cook for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Use 4" or 6" pie cases or 1 large pie dish

WELSH LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Prepare the leeks by cutting off the roots, the coarse green leaves and the damaged outer layer. Run under the tap to get rid of the dirt and grit. Slice them into a colander and rinse again. Cook them gently in the butter till soft.
• Line a shallow pie dish with a layer of pastry, and turn the leeks and the ham (chopped small) on to it.
• Mix cream and eggs well together. Season with salt and plenty of pepper and strain into pie dish. Cover with a pasrty lid, and brush with milk.
• Bake for about 30 minutes in a 350F oven.
• This pie tastes better warm than hot. If you prefer a flan, just cook without the pastry lid.

WELSH SHEPARD'S PIE

Steps:

• Rewarm your mashed potatoes, set aside and keep warm.
• Melt half the butter in the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat add bacon and saute until just beginning to crisp and brown.
• Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside , keep warm.
• Add leek to pan with sugar and salt and pepper.
• Preheat boiler while leeks gently saute until soft and caramelized. Careful not to burn.
• Return bacon to pan and mix evenly.
• Pour mixture into pie 9" plate and spread evenly.
• Melt remaining butter and add to potatoes, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Spoon potatoes evenly over leeks and bacon and smooth top.
• Sprinkle with paprika.
• Place pie under broiler until top is nicely brown. Rotate if necessary to brown evenly.
• Serve in a wedge with pie server with a side of pickled beets or ligonberry sauce on the plate.

WELSH DRAGON PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan melt the butter and sweat the leeks without browning for five minutes on a medium heat until soft and buttery. Add the cumin and cayenne pepper and cook for a further five minutes. Put onto a tray to cool.
• In a bowl add the ground pork, leeks and season. Mix well and then divide into four balls. Cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge until needed.
• To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Bring the water and lard to the boil in a saucepan then stir it into the flour with a wooden spoon to form a smooth dough. Divide into four portions and leave the pastry for 10 minutes to cool.
• Lightly grease each individual pie pan. Place it on a baking tray.
• Take two thirds of each quarter of pastry and on a lightly floured table, roll it to fit the pie pan and overlap the edge. Carefully press into the corners and allow it to just hang over the edge. Roll the remaining pastry into an circle for the lid. Repeat this process with the remaining portions of dough.
• Fill each pie with the pork filling. Brush the pie edges with egg wash and place the lid on top. Pinch the lid edge and the top of the pastry edges together with your thumb to crimp the pie and create a seal. Trim the edge with a knife so no pastry is hanging over the edge.
• Pre-heat an oven to 350°F Brush the top of each pie all over with beaten egg yolk, make a hole in the middle of the pastry lid and cook for one hour.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once the pie is cold, refrigerate for two to three hours.
• Follow the instructions for the gelatin and add to the stock to make a firm jelly and refrigerate. Once the pie is cold, check around the pastry for any holes and fill them with softened butter so that the jelly doesn't escape. Take the jelly/stock from the fridge, remove the layer of fat from the surface and gently reheat to melt the jelly. Pour the stock into the round hole in the top of the pastry until the pie is filled. Cool in the fridge until the jelly is set.

WELSH LEEK PIE

Steps:

• Clean leeks well and chop in 1-inch pieces.
• Boil chicken broth and lemon juice, rind and butter.
• Add leeks and cook uncovered 12 to 15 minutes.
• Beat together cheese, cream and eggs until creamy and well blended.
• Add 1/2 cup cooking broth while stirring.
• Add to cooked leeks and simmer until thickened (light cream sauce).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Grease pie plate. Dust with bread crumbs. Line with pie crust.
• Flute edges. Pour in leek mixture. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes until golden and custard is set.