Serves: 4 l Prep time: 40 minutes l Cook time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
2 packs full butter ready rolled puff pastry 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 leeks, sliced
1 small cauliflower
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pack cooked peeled chestnuts, diced
Half tsp thyme
1 egg, beaten
For the cheese sauce
25g butter
25g plain flour
250ml milk
Half tsp English mustard
125g grated mature Cheddar
60g grated Parmesan
1 tsp truffle oil
Dash of tabasco
Method
1 Pre-heat oven to 200°C / fan 180°C / gas mark 6. Unroll the pastry and cut out two discs. Make one slightly larger than the other.
2 Cook the leeks in the oil with the garlic, thyme and season. Add the diced chestnuts.
3 Cook the whole cauliflower in salted water until tender, then cool.
4 For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan and then add the flour. Add the milk a little at a time and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Add the mustard, tabasco, 100g Cheddar cheese, 50g Parmesan and the truffle oil. Leave to cool a little.
5 Pour the sauce over the cold cauliflower until it has an even thick layer and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
6 To assemble the pithivier, place the smaller puff pastry disc onto a parchment lined baking tray. Add the leek mixture to the pastry, leave a 2cm edge. Sit the cheesy cooked cauliflower on top of the leeks then brush the edge of the pastry with a little bit of the beaten egg.
7 Place the larger puff pastry disc on top and seal the edges. Be careful to have a nice seal with no gaps. Brush the remaining beaten egg on top and cut a few holes in the centre.
8 Crimp the edges tight with a floured fork and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and serve with green vegetables.