Ham, Mushroom and Leek Pie, Cheese Sauce

This pie is a classic Brit combination of cheese and leek that cheerfully gained ham and mushrooms in my kitchen.

In Britland a cheese, leek and potato pie is familiar, as is a ham, chicken and leek pie.  Mostly, the ham pie has a white sauce, however I was feeling the influence of cheese (and am a fan of mushrooms).  This culinary creation materialised.

Each individual pie dish was filled with ham, butter seared chunky mushrooms and sauteed leeks. 

The dark green part of the leek and 'hotter' white part are lightly pan fried and, of course, clean the leeks thoroughly beforehand (tips below).

We have a deliberately mild cheese sauce, think roux with a hint of cheesy goodness that's designed to compliment the ham.

Ham, mushrooms and leek.

Then topped with the cheese sauce.  A classic white roux with cheese.

Add a puff pastry lid and bake.  Pastry, in this case, is always unashamedly bought puff for me.

Ingredients (2)

Pie filling:

250g leeks, cleaned (halved lengthways and carefully rinsed under running water)

150g closed cap chestnut mushrooms, rinsed and halved or quartered

175-200g cooked ham, cut or shredded in small pieces

1.5 TBSP butter

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Saute leeks in 1/2 TBSP of butter with salt until soft, 2 or 3 minutes (they'll cook more later, in the pie).

Sear mushrooms in the remaining 1 TBSP of butter until lightly coloured on all sides (3 or 4 minutes, medium heat). 

Fill the individual pie dishes with ham, sautee'd leek and pan seared mushroom.

Cheesy Pie Sauce:

300ml whole milk

1 TBSP butter

1 TBSP flour

40g mature cheddar cheese, coarsley grated

15g parmesan cheese, finely grated

1/4 tsp salt 

Method:

This is a white roux, melt flour and butter over a low heat.

Add milk and stir until thickened (5 - 10 minutes).

Stir in salt and cheese , cook until smooth (one or two minutes).

Divide and pour over each pie filling.

Pastry:

Unashamedly bought puff pastry, 185g halved and rolled and feel creatively free to cover each pie in a decorative manner of your choosing.

Bake the pies at 185 celsius fan for around 22 minutes.

Serve with peas if you feel inclined (lots of vege goodness)

Another meat pie from Scotland, you might like:

Scottish Beef Mince Pie