Humble pie

Method for Humble pie

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. Break the cauliflower into fairly small, even-sized florets. Some of the smaller leaves can be chopped into pieces.

3. To make the vegetable filling, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the leeks and boil for 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and leaves, and bring back to the boil for 3 minutes until just tender. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and set aside.

4. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add the hot milk, whisking until thickened. Stir in the mustard, cheddar and Parmesan, then season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Leave to cool for 5 minutes.

5. To finish the vegetable filling, heat the knob of butter over a high heat. Add the mushrooms and pan-fry for 3 minutes until golden. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside to cool. Add all the cold vegetables and frozen peas to the cheese sauce, stir and check the seasoning. Spoon into the pie dish.

6. Unroll the pastry and cut a 7cm/2¾in strip from the short side and chill this in the fridge. Roll out the remaining pastry to slightly bigger than the top of your pie dish. Brush beaten egg around the edge of the dish, then place the pastry on top and press down on the edges to seal. Trim any excess pastry with a sharp knife and make a small slit in the centre for the steam to escape. Brush the top with beaten egg.

7. Roll out the reserved strip of pastry to be a bit thinner, then roll it up tightly. Using a sharp knife, slice to make long thin strips. Unravel and dip them into the egg wash, then arrange on top of the pie, in a random pattern. Bake for about 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.