Equipment
Ingredients
filling
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 leek, sliced into 0.5cm pieces
- 2 garlic, finely chopped
- 1 fennel, sliced into 0.5cm pieces
- 2 red-skinned potatoes, cut into 0.5cm pieces
- 18 asparagus, cut into 0.5cm pieces
- 11 g salt
- black pepper
- 24 g all-purpose flour
- 240 ml vegetable stock
- 225 g sour cream
- 1 chives, finely sliced
- 15 g dijon mustard
- 115 g gruyère cheese, grated
pastry topping
- 397 g puff pastry, completely thawed
- 1 egg, beaten
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 672 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 57 g
- Fat
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1330 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 14 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 22 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Cholesterol
- 67 mg
- Potassium
- 745 mg
- Calcium
- 312 mg
- Iron
- 4.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 61 mg
- Phosphorus
- 316 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 218 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 76 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.47 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.47 mg
- Niacin
- 4.8 mg
- Folate
- 136 mcg
- Water
- 229 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a rack in the center. Line a sheet pan with foil.
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the leek, garlic, and fennel for 3 minutes until softened.
Add the potatoes, asparagus, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir to combine.
Dust the vegetables with flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring to coat.
Stir in the vegetable stock, sour cream, chives, Dijon mustard, and Gruyère. Remove the skillet from the heat once the cheese begins to melt.
Roll the puff pastry on a floured surface until it is 3-5cm (1-2 inches) wider than the skillet.
Place the pastry over the filling. Trim excess and tuck the edges inside the skillet rim.
Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg and cut small slits to vent steam.
Place the skillet on the sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 230°C (450°F).
Remove from the oven and let the potpie rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure your leeks are thoroughly washed to remove any grit, as they can trap dirt between their layers. Slice them thinly for even cooking.
- Don't skip the step of dusting the vegetables with flour and cooking it for a minute; this is crucial for thickening the sauce and preventing a watery filling.
- When rolling out puff pastry, keep it cold. If it gets too warm, the layers can meld together, resulting in a less flaky crust.
- For an extra golden and crisp crust, you can lightly sprinkle the puff pastry with a little extra grated Gruyère before baking.
- Allowing the potpie to rest for 10 minutes after baking is essential for the filling to set, preventing it from being too runny when served.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container; pastry will lose crispness.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze before baking for best results.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven until the center is hot and pastry is recrisped.
Troubleshooting
Pastry is soggy on the bottom
Cause: The filling was too watery or the pastry was not baked at a high enough temperature.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled, but ensure the filling is bubbling before removing from the oven.
Prevention: Ensure the flour is cooked with the vegetables to thicken the sauce and preheat the oven fully to 230°C.
Pastry is browning too quickly
Cause: Oven rack is too high or oven has hot spots.
Fix: Cover the top loosely with foil and continue baking until filling bubbles.
Prevention: Place the skillet on the middle rack.
Cultural Context
Potpie, in its various forms, has a long history in Western cuisine, evolving from medieval meat pies. This modern American interpretation embraces seasonal vegetables and a lighter, creamier sauce, making it a comforting and elegant weeknight dinner.
