Baking

Flake on your plans and make this leek, feta and potato pithivier instead

Name: Leek, feta and potato pithivier with soft herb salad recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil; 2 leeks, thinly sliced; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 2 tsp caraway seeds; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 300g boiled potatoes, cooled completely, roughly crushed; 2 eggs; 1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked & roughly chopped; 150g feta, crumbled; 2 x 375g sheets Carême puff pastry; 1 bunch chervil; 1 bunch tarragon, leaves picked; 1 bunch mint, leaves picked; Juice of 1 lemon; 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

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by Phoebe Wood

Dec 04, 2020

This classic pastry dish is an absolute winner with guests.

1/2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
300g boiled potatoes, cooled completely, roughly crushed
2 eggs
1/2 bunch thyme, leaves picked & roughly chopped
150g feta, crumbled
2 x 375g sheets Carême puff pastry

Soft herb salad

1 bunch chervil
1 bunch tarragon, leaves picked
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

Method

1.

Heat oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and 1 tsp salt flakes and cook, stirring, for 25 minutes or until very soft. Add garlic, caraway and fennel seeds and cook, stirring for a further 2-3 minutes until spices are fragrant and garlic has softened. Remove from heat and cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to a large bowl with potato, 1 egg, thyme and feta. Season with salt and pepper and chill while you prepare the pastry.
2.

Cut one 25cm round from 1 sheet of pastry, and one 22 cm round from the second sheet. Place 25cm round on a chopping board and using a small sharp knife, make eight 10cm incisions in the pastry being careful not to cut all the way through the pastry and leaving an approximate 5cm border from the outside edge of the pastry. Chill until ready to use. Place 22cm round on a lined baking tray. Place filling in the centre of the pastry 22cm round in a nice even mound, leaving a 5cm border. Lightly beat remaining egg and brush edges of the round then top with second larger pastry round, cut-side up. Fold over the filling and press the edges to seal. Brush all over with beaten egg and scatter with salt flakes. Chill for 30 minutes.
3.

Preheat oven to 200°C. Place pithivier on a lined baking tray and bake for 35-40 minutes until crisp and golden. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Just before serving, make the salad by tossing the herbs with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season. Cut pithivier into wedges and serve with the salad.