32
FOOD
Butternut squash, potato
and cheese pithivier, by Harry Hook,
serves 6
Deceptively simple to make, this impressive centrepiece
can be a main course for vegetarian guests. Layers of
creamy potato, onion, butternut squash encased in flaky
pastry, you can make it in advance until you're ready to
bake it.
Ingredients
• 500g all-butter puff pastry
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 300g waxy potatoes e.g. Désirée, thinly sliced
• ½ butternut squash, thinly sliced
• 6-8 sage leaves
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 50ml milk
• 50g Cornish clotted cream
• 200g Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 egg
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 220ºC/gas mark 4. Line a baking
tray with baking parchment.
2. Bring a pan of salted water to boil. Add the sliced
potatoes and allow to gently simmer for 5 minutes.
Gently drain in a colander.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a wide saucepan over a low
to medium heat and add the onions. Saute for 15
minutes until soft and translucent.
4. Stir through the flour and cook out for a further
couple of minutes.
5. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly until you have
a thick sauce. Add the clotted cream, Gruyère cheese
and the majority of the sage leaves before adding salt
and pepper to taste.
6. Tip in the potatoes, coating them in the
creamy mixture. Cook for a couple of minutes
before removing from the heat and allowing to
cool completely.
7. Roll out half the pastry on a floured surface. Cut the
pastry around a dinner plate, ensuring that it fits on
the lined baking tray. Place on the tray.
8. Spoon half the cooled potato mixture onto the centre
of the pastry, leaving a 2-3cm rim around the edge.
Carefully stack the potato slices, building a dome
shape. Halfway through, add a layer of butternut
squash slices, then continue with potato, finishing
with a final layer of butternut squash. This will help
create structure for the beautiful dome shape. Brush
the rim with water.
9. Roll the remaining pastry out on a floured surface.
Fold it gently in half to help pick it up, then drape it
over the pithivier. Carefully cut around the pithivier,
leaving a small rim around the edge.
10 Press the edges together, before pressing a fork
around the edges to seal the sides tightly. Then, make
a small hole in the centre of the pastry, and score
curved lines from the top to the bottom - taking care
not to cut through.
11. In a mug or small bowl, add the egg and a dash of
water. Whisk with a fork until thoroughly combined.
12 Brush the pastry all over with egg wash (reserving any
remaining egg for a second coating), then chill in the
fridge for at least 30 minutes.
13. Egg wash again if you have any remaining, before
placing in the centre of the oven. After 20 minutes,
reduce the heat down to 170ºC and continue to
bake for 30 minutes until it is golden brown and
cooked through.
trewithendairy.co.uk
Photo: Nick Hook Photographer