French Leek Pie (Flamiche)
A traditional vegetarian recipe from Picardy in Northern France. Buttery leeks and crème fraîche enclosed in a crisp homemade pastry with a subtle touch of curry. Served as a starter in Parisian brasseries and bistros during the winter season.
Equipment
Ingredients
Leek Pie Dough
- 350 g (12oz/ 3 cups) Plain flour (all-purpose)
- 175 g (6oz/ ¾ cup) Butter (unsalted) softened
- pinch Sea salt (fleur de sel)
- 7 tablespoon Milk
- ½ teaspoon Curry powder
Leek Pie Filling
- 900 g (2lb) Leeks (about 4-5 medium) chopped
- 40 g (1.5oz/ 3 tbsp) Butter
- 4 Egg yolks Organic (3+1 for glaze)
- 200 g (7oz/ ¾ cup) Crème fraîche 12% fat (or heavy cream/plain Greek yoghurt)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch Sea salt & black pepper
Instructions
Pie Dough
- In a large bowl, sift the flour then add the butter, milk, salt & pepper and curry powder (if using). Whizz together in a mixer until the dough is well blended, or mix by hand until smooth.
- Split the dough in 2 (⅔ and ⅓), reserving the smaller one in the fridge wrapped in cling-film. With the ⅔ part, roll out the dough on to a lightly floured surface to form a circle (30cm for a 28cm/11 inch diameter pie tin, or 2cm more than your tart pan). Transfer and push well in to a buttered pie tin (no need if using non-stick). Leave to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes then preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan/Gas 6).
- Place a sheet of baking paper over the tart base and top with ceramic beans or rice. Blind-bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans then leave to cool. Remove the rest of the dough from the fridge to bring up to room temperature and roll out to a circle the size of your tart pan.
Leek Filling
- Remove the leek's root bases and about ⅓ of the green leaves, then clean the leeks by cutting down the tops on either side and wash under the tap to remove all sand from the inside layers. Cut the leeks into ½ cm rounds.
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. Turn down the heat, cover the pan and leave the leeks to soften gently for 15 minutes or until the liquid has evaporated. Uncover and set aside to cool.
- Beat the 3 egg yolks in a small bowl then add the crème fraîche, salt, pepper and nutmeg and mix until smooth.
- Spread the leek mixture on to the pastry base then evenly pour over the egg mix. Cover with the 2nd pastry circle, pressing the edges together to seal well. Crimp the edges of the pastry with a fork or make lines using a knife, and finish with a pastry roller to remove any rough edges and seal.
- Beat the remaining egg yolk and brush over the pastry to glaze. Pierce a small hole in the middle of the pastry and insert a "chimney" with a small roll of baking paper to leave the air to escape. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes and remove from the tin directly on to a serving plate.
Notes
Wine pairing: Serve warm with a chilled Pinot Blanc from Alsace or a Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire or Bordeaux.
Pastry option: You can use ready-made all-butter puff pastry (pur beurre) if you’re short on time. That said, the homemade dough with its subtle touch of curry gives this Flamiche its distinctive flavour.
Measurements: For best results, use digital kitchen scales and weigh in grams. Cups and ounces are provided as a guide only.
Nutrition
Calories: 473kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 11gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 215mgPotassium: 323mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2701IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 136mgIron: 5mg
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