Creamy Corn and Leek Pies

This may not be the best time of year to start a blog, especially one that involves gardening...but actually, it probably is, because there are always a hundred things to do in my garden, and winter is the best time to prepare for planting. On the food side, winter is a time for indulgence, when a cosy slow combustion fire warms the body, and a decadent treat cheers the soul. So unable to share much in the way of the spade with you while this rain holds out, I'll stick to the spoon.

This June long weekend was just wet wet wet. Having a touch of cabin fever to get outside, I had to keep myself occupied looking for inspiration in cookbooks and magazines...so I baked. Still having plenty of home grown leeks left in the freezer, I decided on a simple vegan leek and corn pie in a creamy sauce, perfect for a winter day. It went down a treat with the Beloved, and I got to try out my new pie tins!

Creamy Leek and Corn Pies

Pastry

90g nuttelex or other dairy free margarine

1 1/4 cups of plain flour

pinch of salt

1 Tablespoon cold water

Sift the flour and salt, and rub in the margarine until it resembles breadcrumbs (or use the food processor if you are impatient like me) add the water and draw together. You may need to add a bit more flour or water depending on the temperature and humidity of the day, you can't use a food processor for this bit! the pastry should hold together without being crumbly, or too sticky. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 1/2 an hour.

Filling

1 cup chopped leek

1 clove garlic

1 cup corn kernals

1 cup soymilk

2 tablespoons plain flour

2 tablepoons nuttelex

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

1 teaspoon savoury yeast flakes

ground white pepper

In a small saucepan melt margarine, then add flour and stir quickly to make a roux. Slowly add the soymilk and whisk a bit at a time so as not to get lumps, until you have a thick white sauce. Add the mustard and yeast flakes, and pepper to taste, turn on low and make sure the flour is cooked out properly, about 10 minutes, adding more milk if necessary.

Saute leeks in a separate pan, with garlic until softened. Add corn kernals. Mix into white sauce, and pour into a shallow dish to cool in the fridge.

Turn on oven to 180 C

Assembly

Roll out pastry to 3mm thick and put into greased pie tins. Fill pie cases with cold filling (note, filling must be cold or pastry will sog, not crisp!) and top with pastry, pinching around the edges to seal. Brush tops with soymilk, and cut a couple of slits in the top to prevent the filling erupting all over your oven!

Bake for approximately 25 minutes until pastry is lightly golden.