Butternut Squash, Brighton Blue Cheese & Leek Pie Recipe

Ingredients

1 butternut squash, approximately 1kg
300g leeks
A handful of rosemary
2 tbsp cornflour
1 vegetable stock cube
150ml double cream
150g Brighton Blue Cheese
300g all butter shortcrust pastry
1 tsp wholegrain mustard

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 1 hr 5 mins

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Trim the squash and slice it in half. Scoop out the seeds and slice into bite-sized chunks. You don’t need to peel it as the skin is edible, but you can if you prefer. Trim the roots and woody greens off the leeks and halve them lengthways. Rinse out any grit, then slice into chunky rounds, about 2cm thick. Pick the rosemary leaves off their woody stalks.

2. Fill and boil your kettle. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and rosemary with a large pinch of salt. Fry, stirring often, for 7-8 mins till the leeks have lightly softened. Add the butternut squash. Stir in the cornflour. Fry and stir for 2 mins.

3. Crumble the vegetable stock cube into a heatproof jug. Pour in 600ml water and stir to dissolve. Pour the stock into the pan – it should just cover the veg. Bring the mixture to the boil. Pop on a lid and reduce the heat under the pan to low. Simmer for 15-20 mins till the squash is soft.

4. Remove the lid and stir through 150ml of the cream. Crumble in the Brighton Blue Cheese. Spoon in the wholegrain mustard. Cook, stirring, for 5-10 mins till the cheese has melted and the mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat and set aside.

5. Dust your work surface with flour, if you have some. Unwrap the pastry and roll it into a large, thin piece the same shape as your pie dish, approximately ½cm thick. No flour? You can roll the pastry out between 2 sheets of baking paper.

6. Spoon the squash and blue cheese mixture into a 1 ltr pie or baking dish. Lay the pastry over the top, trimming the edges and lightly crimping them onto the sides of your dish with a fork. If you have any excess pastry, you can cut shapes to decorate your pie. Brush the top of the pastry with a splash of milk or beaten egg, if liked.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut a small hole in the centre of the pastry to help any steam escape (this will help the pastry cook evenly). Place the pie on a baking tray and slide into the oven. Bake for 25 mins till golden and crisp. Serve straight with your favourite vegetables.