Gruyère wheels age 12 months in Swiss caves at 59°F—the crystals that form create those addictive crunchy bursts.
Leek and Gruyère Pie
A savory pie featuring leeks, Gruyère cheese, and a hot water pastry crust, topped with fried leeks and shiso leaves.
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
The Story
This French-Swiss alpine marriage was perfected in 18th-century Savoy when French farmers discovered that Swiss Gruyère's nutty complexity could transform their humble leek tarts from peasant fodder into something worthy of the bourgeoisie—then some brilliant chef in modern Australia threw lemon thyme and dill into the mix, creating a Mediterranean-Alpine fusion that would make both Napoleon and William Tell weep tears of confused joy.
Regional Twist
In France's Burgundy region, they replace the dill with tarragon and swap half the Gruyère for aged Comté, then finish with crispy fried leeks tossed in Dijon mustard oil.
📝 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 (150G) 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 (180ML) 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 and 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 and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool in the tin 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 leek, 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 285-300°F (medium heat) for 15-20 minutes to develop complex Maillard reaction compounds while preventing burning of their natural sugars.technique285-300°F
- ✓Reduce oven temperature to 300°F for custard filling because proteins in eggs and cream coagulate at 160-180°F - higher temps cause curdling and weeping.timing300°F
- ✓Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs for smooth custard integration - cold dairy creates lumps that won't dissolve even with vigorous whisking.ingredient
- ✓Blind bake pastry at 400°F with weights for exactly 15 minutes to set gluten structure without overbrowning before adding moisture-heavy filling.timing15 minutes
- ✓Fry garnish leeks in oil heated to 350°F for 1-2 minutes maximum - their high water content creates violent bubbling that can cause dangerous oil splatter.equipment350°F
Share this recipe
Prep
0
min
Cook
0
min
Serves
8
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Gruyère wheels age 12 months in Swiss caves at 59°F—the crystals that form create those addictive crunchy bursts.
Leek and Gruyère Pie
A savory pie featuring leeks, Gruyère cheese, and a hot water pastry crust, topped with fried leeks and shiso leaves.
The Story
This French-Swiss alpine marriage was perfected in 18th-century Savoy when French farmers discovered that Swiss Gruyère's nutty complexity could transform their humble leek tarts from peasant fodder into something worthy of the bourgeoisie—then some brilliant chef in modern Australia threw lemon thyme and dill into the mix, creating a Mediterranean-Alpine fusion that would make both Napoleon and William Tell weep tears of confused joy.
Regional Twist
In France's Burgundy region, they replace the dill with tarragon and swap half the Gruyère for aged Comté, then finish with crispy fried leeks tossed in Dijon mustard oil.
📝 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 (150G) 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 (180ML) 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 and 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 and bake for 40-45 minutes or until just set. Allow to cool in the tin 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 leek, 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 285-300°F (medium heat) for 15-20 minutes to develop complex Maillard reaction compounds while preventing burning of their natural sugars.technique285-300°F
- ✓Reduce oven temperature to 300°F for custard filling because proteins in eggs and cream coagulate at 160-180°F - higher temps cause curdling and weeping.timing300°F
- ✓Use room temperature cream cheese and eggs for smooth custard integration - cold dairy creates lumps that won't dissolve even with vigorous whisking.ingredient
- ✓Blind bake pastry at 400°F with weights for exactly 15 minutes to set gluten structure without overbrowning before adding moisture-heavy filling.timing15 minutes
- ✓Fry garnish leeks in oil heated to 350°F for 1-2 minutes maximum - their high water content creates violent bubbling that can cause dangerous oil splatter.equipment350°F