All saints leek and potato hereford pie(sewell)*

3      tablespoons   unsalted butter -- divided use
   1 1/2  pounds        leeks -- trimmed and sliced
  15      ounces        dry or hard cider -- approximately
  16      ounces        double cream -- or alternative
   2      teaspoons     whole grain mustard
   2      medium        eggs -- beaten
   5 1/2  ounces        Little Hereford cheese
                        OR cheddar cheese -- grated
   1      pound         thin skinned potatoes -- sliced 1/4" thick
                        no need to peel
  12      sheets        phyllo pastry
                        salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C/Gas 4). Melt a third of the butter in a
 large frying pan and cook the leeks for 6 to 8 minutes until softened,
 stirring occasionally. Add the cider, bring to the boil and boil fiercely,
 uncovered, until reduced by about two thirds. Add the cream, bring back to
 the boil and boil fiercely for 3-5 minutes until the sauce has reached the
 consistency of thick cream. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard,
 eggs and cheese.

2. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes (no need to peel) in boiling water for 3 to
 4 minutes until tender. Be sure that they are cooked as the acidity from
 the cider will prevent them cooking further when added to the sauce. Drain
 and mix gently with the leek mixture. Season.

3. Melt the remaining butter. Use a little to brush the base of a
 (12x9-inch) 30 x 22cm baking dish. Place a sheet of filo pastry on top and
 brush with a little more butter. Repeat with 4 more sheets of pastry to
 cover the base and sides of the dish, overlapping the edges. Spread the
 filling inside, then layer another 5 sheets of pastry, in the same way as
 before, over the top. Fold over any overlapping pastry. Brush two more
 sheets with the remaining butter, gently scrunch, and place on top of the
 pie. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden.

[Per serving: 534 calories, Fiber 39g, Carbohydrate 23g, Fat 44g, Protein
 11g, no added sugar, Salt 0.97g]

VARIATION: With just a few lowfat choices we can reduce this recipe to 260
 cals and 5g fat per serving. Omit the butter. Softened leeks in broth
 and/or vegetable oil spray. Use whole or 2-percent milk. Substitute 1/3 cup
 liquid egg product. Use lowfat Cheddar cheese, Brush phyllo / filo with
 skim milk or a vegetable broth instead of butter and crimp.

PANTRY: Little Hereford cheese is made in a dairy just outside the city. It
 tastes somewhere between Cheddar and Caerphilly. Cheddar is a good
 substitute. Caerphilly is a Welsh cheddar cheese with a soft, crumbly
 texture made from cow's milk and aged about 5 months. See: Kyle P.
 Whelliston 's Cheesenet http://www.wgx.com/cheesenet/info/types.html



[The Kitchen Path http://home.earthlink.net/~kitpath 08/23/98(Sun)]