Name: Pumpkin, leek and Lancashire cheese galette
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: 700g peeled and deseeded pumpkin, such as Crown Prince, cut into 1cm-thick slices; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp thyme leaves; 25g unsalted butter; 2 large leeks, trimmed, halved lengthways and thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard; 150g crème fraîche; 150g vegetarian crumbly Lancashire cheese, crumbled; Plain flour, for dusting; 375g block all-butter shortcrust pastry; 1 medium egg, beaten; 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin, leek and Lancashire cheese galette

Our pumpkin and leek galette recipe is a relaxed vegetarian main for late September, when the first leeks arrive alongside the new season's pumpkins.

Vegetarian

Serves6

Hands-on30 min

Oven1 hour

DifficultyEasy

The pastry edges are simply folded up around the filling, so there is no tin to line and no need for neat crimping. Underneath the golden crust sit layers of tangy crème fraîche, buttery leeks and sweet roast vegetables, with crumbly cheese melting into every gap.

Why it’s so good: Lancashire cheese has a mild, lactic tang that sharpens the sweet pumpkin, and wholegrain mustard in the leeks adds gentle heat.

Make it easy: Roast the pumpkin and cook the leeks the day before, then assemble and bake when needed.

Method

Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Toss the pumpkin with the olive oil and thyme, season well and spread out on a large baking tray. Roast for 20 minutes until just tender to the point of a knife, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring often, until soft but not coloured. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then take off the heat, stir in the mustard and leave to cool slightly.

On a lightly floured sheet of baking paper, roll out the pastry to a rough 32cm round about 4mm thick. Slide the paper and pastry onto a large baking tray.

Spread the crème fraîche over the pastry, leaving a 5cm border. Spoon over the leeks, scatter with half the cheese, then arrange the pumpkin on top and finish with the remaining cheese. Fold the border up and over the filling in loose pleats.

Brush the pastry with the beaten egg and scatter the pumpkin seeds over the filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden and crisp underneath and the filling is bubbling.

Leave to stand on the tray for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm.

Per serving (Serves 6)

Calories

630kcals

Fat

46g (23g saturated)

Protein

15g

Carbohydrates

37g (5g sugars)

Fibre

4.5g

Salt

Quick wins, tips & make ahead

Serve with a sharp green salad dressed with cider vinegar, or with buttered greens.

Traditional Lancashire cheese is often made with animal rennet, and some ready-made pastry is not suitable for vegetarians, so check the labels. Wensleydale or a crumbly Cheshire can replace the Lancashire.

Swaps: butternut squash works in place of pumpkin. For a smaller galette serving four, halve the filling and use 250g pastry rolled to a 25cm round, baking for 30-35 minutes.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 for 15 minutes to crisp the pastry.