There’s nothing quite like a big plate of mashed potato for an evening when you need a bit of comfort food. This pie is made up of creamy potatoes, crispy pancetta and sweet, soft leeks making it a tasty family meal for when you’re on a budget. Delicious served alone, but if you fancy some extras why not try it with cold meats or fried eggs.
Ingredients
- 1kg floury potatoes (eg, Maris Piper), peeled and cut into chunks
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- About 500g leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
- 75-80g diced pancetta
- 30g butter
- 250ml milk, single cream or crème fraiche
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- Large handful of curly or flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
- ½-1tsp smoked paprika
- 100g Gruyère or Cheddar cheese
Method
Put the potato chunks in a pan, cover with cold water and add salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender.
Meanwhile, warm the oil in a large frying pan, add the onion and leeks and fry, covered, over a low heat for 8 minutes until softened. Add the pancetta and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Set the oven to 190°C/374°F/Gas Mark 5. Drain the potatoes well, put back in the pan to dry off over a low heat. Add the butter and milk, cream or crème fraiche. When it starts to bubble, take off the heat and mash the potatoes roughly. Add the egg, season well and mix in.
Stir in the onion and leek mixture, parsley, paprika and half the cheese. Spoon into the dish. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over. Bake for 35-45 minutes until well-browned.
Top tip for making Mash, bacon, leek and cheese pie
If you don't have any pancetta, add streaky bacon or diced chorizo.
