Ingredients
2 rashers streaky bacon
½ bunch fresh thyme leaves
olive oil
2 kg leeks
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped tbsp plain flour
2 pints chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp Fresh Cream - Crème fraîche
500 g puff pastry
1 egg
extra flour for dusting
Method
Preheat your oven to 190°C. Put your bacon roughly chopped in a large pan on a medium heat and add your thyme leaves. Add a spoon of olive oil and let it all fry for a few minutes. Add all of your washed trimmed white parts of leeks chopped into chunks, green end finely sliced and fry them for about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper then pop the lid on top, turn the heat down to medium and let them cook away gently for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 to 10 minutes to make sure they don't catch. There's going to be enough moisture in the leeks to keep them soft. When your leeks are ready. Add the flour, mix it in well then pour in your stock and stir again. Add the crème fraîche then turn the heat up and bring everything back up to the boil. Taste and add a bit more salt and pepper if needed, then turn the heat off. Pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan and let the gravy from the mixture drip into the pan while you roll out your pastry.
Get a deep baking dish, I used a Pyrex dish. With the balance flour dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with a bit of flour and roll your pastry out so it's about double the size of your dish. Fold the other half of pastry on top then roll it out carefully and evenly so you have a circle or rectangle big enough to cover your baking tray. Don't worry if a few bits stick out here and there.
Spoon that thick leek mixture from your sieve into the pie dish and spread it out evenly. Lay your pastry on top, tuck the ends under then gently score the pastry diagonally with your knife. Add a pinch of salt to your beaten egg then paint this egg wash over the top of your pastry. Place your pie in the oven for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. When the pie is ready, re-heat the gravy and serve with your pie
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