Leek, cheese and pepper slice (V)

Say no to nut roast this Christmas and treat the veggies to a flavourful slice packed with local ingredients guaranteed to please.

SERVES 10-12 TAKES 25 minutes to make and 45 minutes to cook

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Ownsworth Rapeseed Oil

• 8 shallots, peeled and quartered

• 2–3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into thick strips

• 500g leeks, trimmed, sliced

• 2 x 320g packs ready-rolled puff pastry

• 1 egg from our Love Local range

• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

• 125g Cote Hill Red cheese, in small cubes

• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/fan 180ºC/ Gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the shallots and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add the peppers and leeks and cook, stirring regularly, for a further 8–10 minutes until soft. Season and set aside to cool slightly.

2. Unroll one of the pastry sheets and place on the baking tray. Trim a border of about 1cm of pastry and reserve. Brush a generous border of egg around the edge of the pastry sheet and prick all over with a fork. Spread the mustard over the pastry within the egg border.

3. Spoon the shallots, peppers and leeks onto the centre of the pastry sheet. Scatter the cheese cubes over the top.

4. Unroll the other sheet of pastry and cut slits all the way along the width, leaving a border of about 4cm. Place over the vegetables and press the two pastry edges together and trim off overlapping pastry.

5. Pinch together pastry edges. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out star shapes. Brush pastry all over with egg and add the shapes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and golden. Serve warm or cold, cut into slices.