Gruyère ages in Swiss caves at 55°F for 12 months, developing crystals that create those signature flavor bursts.
Leek and Gruyère Pie
A savory pie featuring leeks and Gruyère cheese, encased in a homemade hot water pastry.
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
8
people
Level
advanced
The Story
This French quiche cousin actually traces back to medieval England's hot water pastry tradition—when Tudor cooks discovered that boiling butter and water creates a malleable dough that stands upright without a tin, French chefs in the 1600s nicked the technique, swapped mutton for leeks, and created what Escoffier later dubbed the foundation of proper savory tart-making across the Channel.
Regional Twist
In Switzerland's Gruyère valley, they double the Gruyère cheese and fold in wild garlic instead of lemon thyme, creating a pie so rich it requires a shot of Kirsch to cut through the dairy.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 tablespoon lemon thyme leaves
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 250g cream cheese, chopped and softened
- 2 cups (500ml) double cream
- 125g unsalted butter, chopped
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup (130g) wholemeal (wholewheat) plain (all-purpose) flour
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
- sage sprigs and leaves, to decorate
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
📦Other(5)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 4 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks extra
- 150g Gruyère, grated
- 1kg leeks (about 5 leeks), trimmed and thinly sliced
- micro (baby) shiso leaves (optional), to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- 2
Invert the base of a 24cm round springform tin. Grease the tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
- 3
To make the hot water pastry, place the butter, salt and water in a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the flours until a smooth dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick. Remove the top sheet of baking paper and discard.
- 4
Press the sage leaves and sprigs around the inside of the prepared tin. Using the remaining baking paper to help you, carefully line the tin with the pastry, trimming any excess. Top the baking paper with weights or rice to fill. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and set aside.
- 5
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil, leek, lemon thyme, dill and lemon rind. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove the lid, cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the leek is golden and caramelised. Allow to cool slightly.
- 6
Place the cream, cream cheese, eggs and extra yolks, Gruyère, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the leek mixture and stir through.
- 7
Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (350°F). Pour the leek filling into the pastry case and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- 8
To make the fried leeks, heat 2cm of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fry the leeks, in batches, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
- 9
Carefully remove the pie from the tin and transfer to a plate. Arrange the fried leeks and shiso leaves on top and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize leeks at exactly medium heat (275-300°F pan surface) for 15-20 minutes because higher heat burns their natural sugars before proper moisture evaporation occurs.technique275-300°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese to 65-70°F before mixing to prevent lumps in the custard base, as cold cream cheese won't emulsify smoothly with eggs.ingredient65-70°F
- ✓Blind bake the pastry at 400°F for exactly 15 minutes with weights, then reduce to 350°F for filling because custard fillings need gentle heat to set without curdling.timing400°F to 350°F
- ✓Test custard doneness by gently shaking the pan - the center should have a slight 2-inch diameter jiggle, as carryover heat will finish cooking during the 10-minute rest.technique2-inch diameter
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 350-365°F for fried leek garnish because lower temps create soggy results while higher temps burn the delicate leek sugars.equipment350-365°F
Share this recipe
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
8
people
Level
advanced
Share this recipe
Gruyère ages in Swiss caves at 55°F for 12 months, developing crystals that create those signature flavor bursts.
Leek and Gruyère Pie
A savory pie featuring leeks and Gruyère cheese, encased in a homemade hot water pastry.
The Story
This French quiche cousin actually traces back to medieval England's hot water pastry tradition—when Tudor cooks discovered that boiling butter and water creates a malleable dough that stands upright without a tin, French chefs in the 1600s nicked the technique, swapped mutton for leeks, and created what Escoffier later dubbed the foundation of proper savory tart-making across the Channel.
Regional Twist
In Switzerland's Gruyère valley, they double the Gruyère cheese and fold in wild garlic instead of lemon thyme, creating a pie so rich it requires a shot of Kirsch to cut through the dairy.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 8🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 tablespoon lemon thyme leaves
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 250g cream cheese, chopped and softened
- 2 cups (500ml) double cream
- 125g unsalted butter, chopped
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 cup (130g) wholemeal (wholewheat) plain (all-purpose) flour
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill leaves
- sage sprigs and leaves, to decorate
- sea salt and cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
📦Other(5)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 4 eggs, plus 4 egg yolks extra
- 150g Gruyère, grated
- 1kg leeks (about 5 leeks), trimmed and thinly sliced
- micro (baby) shiso leaves (optional), to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
- 2
Invert the base of a 24cm round springform tin. Grease the tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
- 3
To make the hot water pastry, place the butter, salt and water in a medium saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the flours until a smooth dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Roll out between 2 sheets of non-stick baking paper to 3mm thick. Remove the top sheet of baking paper and discard.
- 4
Press the sage leaves and sprigs around the inside of the prepared tin. Using the remaining baking paper to help you, carefully line the tin with the pastry, trimming any excess. Top the baking paper with weights or rice to fill. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and set aside.
- 5
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the oil, leek, lemon thyme, dill and lemon rind. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Remove the lid, cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the leek is golden and caramelised. Allow to cool slightly.
- 6
Place the cream, cream cheese, eggs and extra yolks, Gruyère, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the leek mixture and stir through.
- 7
Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C (350°F). Pour the leek filling into the pastry case and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- 8
To make the fried leeks, heat 2cm of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. Fry the leeks, in batches, for 1-2 minutes or until golden. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper.
- 9
Carefully remove the pie from the tin and transfer to a plate. Arrange the fried leeks and shiso leaves on top and serve.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Caramelize leeks at exactly medium heat (275-300°F pan surface) for 15-20 minutes because higher heat burns their natural sugars before proper moisture evaporation occurs.technique275-300°F
- ✓Temper your cream cheese to 65-70°F before mixing to prevent lumps in the custard base, as cold cream cheese won't emulsify smoothly with eggs.ingredient65-70°F
- ✓Blind bake the pastry at 400°F for exactly 15 minutes with weights, then reduce to 350°F for filling because custard fillings need gentle heat to set without curdling.timing400°F to 350°F
- ✓Test custard doneness by gently shaking the pan - the center should have a slight 2-inch diameter jiggle, as carryover heat will finish cooking during the 10-minute rest.technique2-inch diameter
- ✓Maintain oil temperature at 350-365°F for fried leek garnish because lower temps create soggy results while higher temps burn the delicate leek sugars.equipment350-365°F