Homity Pie Recipe

Start with the pastry. Cut the butter into small cubes. Put into a food processor along with both of the flours and a pinch of salt. Blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then crack in the egg and pulse again until the pastry is just coming together, then bring together with your hands. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, peel and chop your potatoes into chunky 4cm pieces. Put into a large pan of cold salted water and bring up to the boil. Once boiling, cook for 12-15 mins until the potatoes are tender, drain into a colander and steam well. Tip back into the saucepan and cover with a lid.

Come back to the pastry. Roll it out on a floured work surface into a rough circle large enough to line the base and sides of a deep, 20cm pie dish or, if you haven’t got one, a 20cm springform, deep cake tin. You want the pastry to be about 27-30cm in circumference. Line the base and sides with the pastry, pushing it well into all the edges. Trim off any excess pastry hanging over the edge, then put back into the fridge to chill whilst you carry on with the filling.

Heat the oven to 180°C. Put a flat baking tray into the centre of the oven to heat up.

Halve the leek, wash thoroughly to get rid of any grit and finely slice. Half and finely slice the onions. Scrape both into a large saucepan. Add the butter and a splash of olive oil along with a big pinch of salt. Cook over a low-medium heat for 15 mins, stirring occasionally until super soft and beginning to caramelise.

Finely chop the garlic, strip the thyme leaves from their sprigs. Add both to the pan, cook, stirring for another couple of minutes, then tip in the cooked potatoes. Pour in the double cream and grate in the nutmeg, give everything a good stir to combine and turn off the heat.

Finely grate all of the cheese. Stir two thirds of the cheese through the filling, season with a little salt and lots of black pepper to taste, then spoon the filling into the chilled unbaked pie case. Scatter the remaining cheese over the top of the filling.

Put the pie onto the preheated baking sheet and bake for 40-45 mins until the pastry is golden and crisp. If the cheese catches and starts to brown too quickly, place a piece of foil very loosely over the top (the filling might look done but you need to cook it for 40 minutes so the pastry fully cooks).

Leave to cool for at least 20 mins before removing from the tin and slicing into fat wedges to serve.