As the misty mornings and evenings slowly disappear and the sun comes out to play more often as spring approaches, this recipe is running out of days to make it feel truly appreciated. Using seasonal vegetables and very few ingredients, it has always been a winner, whenever it has been cooked, and whoever it has been cooked for.
A tasty meal to keep you warm during the long winter months with rich vegetable and herb flavours, we think the recipe was at one time printed in The Daily Mail, and may be courtesy of Prue Leith.
Ingredients (serves 4)
900g (32oz) of butternut squash
2 leeks
1 tbsp of fresh rosemary
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
200g (7oz) of crème fraiche
Butter for greasing
100g (4oz) of fresh breadcrumbs
50g (2oz) of grated strong cheddar
1 tbsp of olive oil
Method
Peel, deseed and cut the squash in half. Chop into large bite size cubes. Peel the outer leaves from the leeks, wash, and slice thickly. Place into a pan with the squash, and add rosemary, garlic, and seasoning to taste. Cover with 2.5cm (1 inch) of water, and bring to the boil gently, and simmer for 10 minutes to soften.
After ten minutes, remove from heat, and drain well. Stir in the crème fraiche, season again if desired, and heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius if fan-assisted). Grease a large oven/casserole dish with butter and spoon the mixture into an even layer. Chopped cook bacon or shredded cooked bacon can also be added at this stage.
Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese and sprinkle over the top of the mixture in the oven dish. Place into the warmed oven and bake for around 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbling.
When removed from the oven, slice the pie into quarters and serve on its own, or with an equally stodgy accompaniment of warmed and crusty (but unbuttered) French bread.
