Potato Leek Pie - a pictorial guide

Potato Leek Pie - a Family Favorite

Potato Leek Pie is a family favourite. This is a great recipe for fall and winter meals. It is vegetarian, but trust me, no-one will notice. This is fairly easy to make and the recipe can be doubled. The recipe is listed below as well as some step by step photos to guide you through the procedure.

Even for people who profess not to like leeks, this recipe is a winner!

My daughter frequently begs to have this again...and again. I was a bit pressed for time (or just lazy), so I used premade pie crusts and frozen puffed pastry dough on top. It took much less time, and I looked like a hero giving in to her demands. I don't mind cooking when it is something everyone loves. It has about 20 minutes left to go. Can't wait!

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Potato Leek Pie

... the recipe....

Ingredients:
1 lb of leeks
salt (to season and for boiling water)
1.5 lb of white potatoes
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 green onions
2 oz of butter
1 cup flour (white or whole wheat) (2 tbps for sauce, rest for dusting pastry)
2 cups of warm milk
fresh sage
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 package (2 envelopes) of pie crust mix


  1. Take the milk out of the fridge. Consider microwaving for 20-25 seconds to remove the chill.
  2. Take the leeks remove most of the dark green portion. Slice the stalk lengthwise, and cut crosswise into thin strips.
  3. Peel the potatoes
  4. bring two large pots of water to a boil. Add the leek to one pot (and add 1/2 tsp salt. Boil covered for 6-8 minutes.
  5. In the other pot, place the peeled and thickly sliced potatoes, Boil for 15-20 minutes
  6. Set the potatoes and leek aside, and make the sauce. This is a standard Bechamel sauce. Place the butter in a small saucepan on low heat. When melted, slowly add 2 tbsp flour while stirring constantly with a fork.
  7. When the flour is blended, slowly add the warm milk and continue to stir with a fork to avoid lumps. Continue to stir until the sauce becomes thick.
  8. Mix the drained leek with the potatoes, the parmesan and the sauce. Stir it, but not vigorously. The idea is to keep it lumpy. Add the frozen peas, salt and pepper to taste, add in 2 chopped green onions, and set the mixture aside.
  9. Prepare the pie crust mixture. This is so much easier than making from scratch and tastes great. All you need to so is add 4-5 tbps or water to the mixture (keep it very dry) and for into balls.
  10. Roll out the pastry to make linings for the individual pie dishes. Don't worry if the look is not perfect. use flour to stop the rolling pin from sticking.
  11. Fill the pie dishes with the filling, and cover with a topping of pastry, Cut a slit in the top. Brush the crust with water.
  12. Bake at 400F for 45-60 minutes. Do not let the crust get too dark.


These pies freeze very well. They also taste almost better on the second day.

The Right Equipment Helps

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Make Sure You Have Everything You Need

type=textGo through your list of ingredients and make sure you have everything you will need. This includes the pots and pans as well as the individual size pie plates. In these pictures I used whole wheat flour, but honestly I prefer to use white flour to make the sauce and to dust the crust. But check what you need before beginning.

You can also check out your fridge to see if you have any other ingredients to toss-in. I have sometimes added finely chopped broccoli or parsley to this recipe. Be creative!

Boil the Potatoes

Boil the PotatoesSince these cook longer that the leeks, I start them boiling first. Peel them, slice into 1/2 inch slices and boil for 15-20 minutes. Don't boil them so long that they become mushy.

Boil the Leeks

Boil the LeeksAdd about 1/2 tsp of salt to the water, then add the leeks. They should boil for about 8-10 minutes. When they are done, save some of the water to add back into the final mixture (say 1/4 - 1/2 cup). Don't overcook the leek. I like to cook the leek on a steamer that keeps them above the water. I find that this makes them keep their colour a bit more. When they are done, drain the leek (and set the small amount of water aside)

Make the Sauce

The SauceFirst, make sure that your milk is not really cold. Room temperature or slightly warm is best.

This is a standard Bechamel sauce. Melt the butter over low heat, and stir in 2 tbps of flour. When well mixed, slowly add the milk a bit at a time, stirring rapidly with a fork until the sauce becomes thick.

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Assemble the Filling

Assemble the fillingNow it is time to mix the ingredients for the filling. Add the sauce to the cooked leeks and stir. Then add the potato to this, and stir further. Do not stir too much because you want the potatoes to stay a bit chunky. Sprinkle on the grated parmesan and stir it in too. Next add the frozen peas and stir to distribute. That's it!

Make the Pie Crust

Make the Pie CrustTo make the pie crust, I prefer to use a ready-mix pie crust like the one shown in the picture. This is far simpler than starting from scratch and is just as good. It is surprising how little water you need to mix into the crust, only 4-5 tbps. Make sure not to add too much, it should be just able to form into balls with this much water.

You can make this at any point and set aside in the fridge until you are ready to use it. The hardest part about the crust is that when you roll it out, it sticks tot he rolling pin. To stop this, sprinkle some flour on the board, then put the ball of dough down and sprinkle more flour on top. As you roll it out, be ready to sprinkle more flour as needed.

My daughter found another version of pre-made pastry a while back when she was making quiche. This was all pre-made and pre-rolled. All you had to do was to stretch it out and use it. The directions suggested pre-baking this (I don't know if that is necessary)

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Roll the Pie Crust

Roll the Pie CrustAs you roll the pie crust, you will surely get frustrated if you try to be perfect. It does not matter if there are imperfections, or even if you need to use several strips to get the shape you want. Do the best you can, use lots of flour to stop it from sticking and don't sweat the small stuff.

Shape the Crust into the Pie Pans

Prepare the Pie PansNow take the crust you rolled out and line the pie pans. You can take little scraps and push them together to get the right shape, and rip pieces off that don't belong. I like to use a long knife to lift the crust from the rolling board into the pan. Make sure to prepare crust for the top of the pies too.

Vent a bit!

I personally find that in the local supermarkets, the produce (fruit & veg) is consistently poor quality, It is almost embarrassing to serve this to someone else. I have found a store that is wonderful, but its a bit further to drive to. It is surprising that the local stores continue to pump out garbage!

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Fill the Pans

Fill the Pie CrustYou are now ready to scoop the pie filling you prepared into the pie pans. Add enough to each to make a mound that fills the pan generously. Then cover each with another layer of pastry. Hey, this is starting to look pretty professional!

Once the top crust is on, cut a small slit to let the steam out when it cooks.

There are Tons of Great Recipes Out There

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Cook-em Dan-o

Cook-em Dan-oPlace the pie pans on top of a cookie sheet, brush each one with a little water and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Watch them towards the end to ensure that the crust does not get over-done.

My advice is to cook these ahead of time so that when the guests arrive, you can simple reheat or microwave the pies to get them ready to serve. This recipe tastes great the next day (perhaps even better)

Nutrition Analysis

Nutrition AnalysisCheck out how to make nutrition labels for details on how to prepare your own nutrition analyses.

This recipe recipe serves 6 (I made 6 individual sized pies), so divide this nutrition analysis by the number of guests.

If you click on the nutrition label, it will take you to a site that explains how you can produce labels like this by inputting your list of ingredients. This can be very helpful if you are trying to eat properly, control sodium, cholesterol or avoid certain types of food. Have fun!

Potato & Leek - Made for each other!

Here is another example of a great sounding recipe combining these two ingredients!
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Guestbook Comments

  • JaguarJulie May 7, 2012 @ 9:54 am | delete
    This sounds like something I would love to make ... I am a fan, after all, of potatoes and leeks. I think I would make a large batch and have a soup and a pie!
  • TheLifestyleChanger Apr 7, 2012 @ 8:10 am | delete
    It is so deliciously wonderful to see a savoury pie recipe on Squidoo. Easter Blessings to you. I can't wait to try this recipe.
  • veryirie Mar 14, 2012 @ 8:01 pm | delete
    Your step by step photos and directions make this potato leek pie look even simple enough for me to give it a go. Wonderful page! :)
  • davenjilli Mar 12, 2012 @ 10:41 pm | delete
    Looks like potato soup in a pie...life doesn't get much better than that.
  • LaraineRose Mar 6, 2012 @ 11:08 am | delete
    I'll be back to get this recipe. It looks like it will be delicious! Angel blessings.
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