Every bean pithivier by Kathy Slack

Named after the French town of Pithiviers, this puff pastry pie was traditionally made with a sweet almond filling. Today, however, pithiviers are filled with anything from pheasant to ham and cheese; this meat-free version is packed with bright green veg. With their pretty, scored domes and scalloped edges, pithiviers might seem intimidating to make, but with this version, you can go as fancy or rustic as you like. Guests to impress? Double-pod the broad beans (you’ll need to double the quantity), include hyssop and sorrel, and carefully score neat arcs into the pastry top. Alternatively, just throw it all together and enjoy it for dinner midweek.

SERVES: 2–3 TAKES: 1 HOUR PLUS 1 HR COOLING

INGREDIENTS

30g salted butter

1 large leek, trimmed, washed and cut into half-moons

125g runner beans, trimmed, de-stringed and cut into 1cm chunks

125g fresh (or frozen and defrosted) broad beans

125g fresh (or frozen and defrosted) peas

1 tbsp plain flour

150ml whole milk

3 tbsp chopped leafy herbs (a mix of parsley, dill, chives and mint is ideal)

325g shop-bought puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

METHOD

1 Melt the butter in a lidded frying pan over a low heat. Add the leek and a pinch of salt, cover and sweat gently for 8-10 mins, until soft and yielding but not browned.

2 Add the runner beans, broad beans, peas and flour to the pan. Give everything a gentle stir for 2 mins so the flour cooks. Gradually add the milk, stirring as you do, to make a thick sauce. Simmer for 1 min, then stir in the chopped herbs, some more salt and a grinding of pepper. Tip the mixture into a heatproof bowl and leave to cool completely (about 1 hr).

3 Heat oven to 230C, 210C fan, gas 8.

4 Lightly flour your surface and lay out the pastry sheets. Cut out 2 circles, one 18cm in diameter and the other 20cm. If your pastry sheets aren’t big enough, use a rolling pin to roll them out a little bigger.

5 Place the smaller circle on a sheet of baking paper — this is essential for transferring to a baking tray. Pile the cooled filling in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 1cm gap around the outside. Dab a little water around this border and lay the larger pastry circle on top. Press the edges together with a fork to create a seam, then use a sharp knife to score a spiral shape on top and poke a little steam hole in the middle.

6 Brush the pie with beaten egg, transfer to a baking tray along with the baking paper, and bake for 25 mins, until golden brown and crisp on both the top and bottom.

Taken from From the Veg Patch by Kathy Slack (£25, Ebury Press)