Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie
A shortcrust pie of soft leeks in a mustardy cheese sauce, with a crisp top and bottom and a glossy egg-washed lid.
Make Ahead and Storage
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes.
How to Make Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie
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Heat the oven to 200°C / 390°F with a tray inside. Melt the butter, add the leeks and cook with the lid on for 10 minutes, then 3 minutes with it off.
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Stir in the flour, then add the milk a little at a time and simmer for 3 minutes until thick.
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Off the heat, stir in the cheese, mustard, salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
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Line a 23 cm pie dish with two-thirds of the pastry, fill it and cover with the rest. Seal, brush with egg and cut a steam hole.
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Bake on the hot tray for 40 minutes until deep gold.
Worth Knowing
- Cook the leeks until the pan is dry.
- Cool the filling before it meets the pastry.
- If your oven runs hot, check at 30 minutes.
- Bake on a preheated tray for a crisp base.
Some Background
Salt the sauce lightly and the cheese does the rest. Salt the leeks hard and the pie is too much. That is the first thing to know about this one.
Leeks hold a surprising amount of water. Cook them gently in butter for 10 minutes with the lid on, then for 3 minutes without it, so the liquid steams away. A wet filling is the main cause of a pale, soggy base. Stir in the flour, then the milk a little at a time, until you have a thick sauce.
Off the heat, add the cheese and mustard. Leave the filling to cool before it goes into the pastry, or the base turns to paste.
Bake at 200°C for 40 minutes, until the top is deep gold. If your oven runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Put the pie dish on a hot tray to crisp the base. Serve it in thick wedges with something green, as the pie itself is rich and wants a sharp side.
What to Put Next to It
Boiled new potatoes · Green beans · Pickled onions · Apple cider
Questions About Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie
How long does Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie take to make?
About 1 hour 10 minutes in total — 30 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.
What are the key tips for making Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie?
Cook the leeks until the pan is dry. Cool the filling before it meets the pastry. If your oven runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Bake on a preheated tray for a crisp base.
What should I serve with Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie?
Boiled new potatoes; Green beans; Pickled onions; Apple cider.
How should Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie be stored?
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 15 minutes.
Is Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Welsh Cheese and Leek Pie?
About 665 kcal per serving, with 18 g protein, 56 g carbohydrate and 41 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
The Numbers per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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