To commemorate when st George's Day fell on Meat-Free Monday. Perhaps.
The recipe said to use shop bought shortcrust pastry, but, frankly, by the time you've run down the shop and faffed around, it's easier to make your own. Perhaps I should have photographed The Making of the Pastry, but if you're unsure of what that looks like, pop out for shop-bought!
Chop some leeks
Boil some slices of potato
Combine with some chunks of Cheddar, and pile onto a round of pastry laid out on a baking sheet.
The recipe actually said nothing about greaseproof paper, but I don't fully trust my baking sheets, and have taken to lining them regardless.
You really have to pile those ingredients up, it's a precarious balancing act. And make sure you keep that border round the edge.
Cover it with lid of pastry - that's significantly bigger than the first piece. Neaten it up and give it an egg rinse
Bung it in the oven for 40 minutes, then take it out
Naturally, your eyes fall on theunsightly burnt black bits. Aha! Remember when I said I didn't trust baking sheets. There is a reason. All I had to do was lift off the greaseproof paper and bin the ugly burnt black bits. The burnt juices neither ruining my baking sheet not spoiling my giant pasty.
Also this year we have discovered that there is nothing that cam't be transformed from ordinary and adequate to outstanding by addition of a fresh well-dressed salad. (Correlates with the maxim of making sure your food is not totally beige). Ta da
The original recipe
