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Cauliflower cheese pithivier recipe

Cauliflower cheese pithivier recipe

131 ratings

Created by The Tesco Real Food team

With a gooey, oozy centre, this vegetarian dinner idea is absolutely perfect for any celebratory occasion. What's more, you can make it ahead and freeze until the big day. See method

  • Serves 8
  • Takes 1 hr 10 mins
  • 528 calories / serving
  • Freezable
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions, sliced
  • 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 600g cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 40g unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 300ml milk
  • 100g strong Cheddar, grated
  • 375g (about 3) leeks, trimmed and sliced
  • 2 x 375g packs ready-rolled light puff pastry
  • 1 egg, beaten
If you don't have red onions, try using white, brown or spring onions

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    2210kj
    528kcal     26%

  • Fat

    26g 37%

  • Saturates

    14g 69%

  • Sugars

    10g 11%

  • Salt

    0.8g 13%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 58.6g Protein 15.3g Fibre 3.9g

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions for 8-10 mins until soft. Add the vinegar, sugar and thyme, and continue to cook for 12-15 mins until starting to caramelise. Meanwhile, cook the cauli ower in a pan of boiling water for 8-10 mins until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt 20g butter in a small pan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins until combined and golden. Add the milk gradually and continue to stir until the sauce thickens. Mix in the cauliflower and 80g of the cheese. Set aside.
  3. Melt 20g butter in another pan and fry the leeks over a low heat until soft.
  4. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. On a oured work surface, roll out a pastry sheet to a 26cm square. Cut into a 26cm-wide circle and place on a baking sheet.
  5. Spoon the onions onto the circle, leaving a 1.5cm border at the edge. Top with the cauliflower cheese, remaining Cheddar, and then the leeks. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water.
  6. Roll out the other pastry sheet to a 30cm square. Lay over the veg, pressing down to seal the edges. Trim into a circle. Score lines in the pastry with a knife out from the centre. Brush with egg. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

To freeze, prepare the pithivier, without brushing with egg, then wrap in nonstick baking paper and foil. To reheat, remove from the freezer, unwrap and defrost in the fridge overnight. Brush with egg and bake as instructed in the recipe. Once reheated from frozen, eat on the same day – do not reheat a second time. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.

See more Vegetarian Christmas recipes

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