Ham & Cheese Christmas Pie

Lunch | French

Prep time: 25 min Cook time: 1 min Servings: 4

This pie started as a way to use up leftover Christmas ham and whatever cheese was left on the board, and it’s become one of those Boxing Day rituals I look forward to. A shortcrust pastry shell, filled with sautéed leek, ham, a little quince paste and cheese, then set in an egg and cream custard. It’s essentially a quiche Lorraine with a Christmas twist, and it works just as well for lunch as it does served warm for dinner.

Getting the custard right is the most important part of this recipe. It needs to be set but still slightly wobbly in the center when it comes out of the oven. It firms up further as it cools on a wire rack, so don’t be tempted to keep baking until it’s completely firm or you’ll end up with a dense, rubbery filling. I give it 15 to 20 minutes to cool before slicing, which also makes it much easier to cut cleanly. It’s a forgiving recipe overall and a great way to clear out the fridge after Christmas.

Ingredient Notes

Shortcrust pastry: I use frozen shortcrust pastry sheets here for convenience, which are widely available at supermarkets. Two sheets are joined together to make one large piece big enough to line a 30cm tart tin. If you prefer to make your own, a standard shortcrust using 250g flour and 125g butter will give you enough for this tin. Either way, blind baking before adding the filling is essential to avoid a soggy base.

Quince or fruit paste: This is the ingredient that sets this pie apart from a standard quiche. The paste adds a sweet, jammy note that pairs well with the saltiness of the ham and the richness of the custard. Leftover quince paste from the Christmas cheese board is ideal, and leftover ham glaze works just as well. If you have neither, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard gives a different but equally good result.

Cheese: Use whatever is left from the Christmas cheese board. A mix works well here: something with good melt, like Swiss or gruyère, combined with something with more punch, like aged cheddar or a ripe brie. The variety adds complexity to the filling. Avoid anything too high in moisture as it can make the custard watery. Around 150g total is right for this size pie.

Equipment

Chopping board
Chef’s knife
30cm (12in) fluted tart tin with removable base
Rolling pin
Baking paper and pie weights or dried beans
Deep frying pan
Large jug or bowl (for the custard)
Whisk
Wire rack

Ingredients

2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
1 tbsp olive oil
30g butter
1 leek, chopped
sea salt and freshly cracked white pepper
300g leg ham, diced
4 sprigs thyme, leaves chopped
30g leftover quince/fruit paste or ham glaze
150g leftover cheese (swiss, brie, cheddar), chopped or grated
freshly grated nutmeg
4 eggs
250ml (1 cup) cream

Directions

Make the pastry shell
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan forced (355°F). Lightly grease a 30cm (12in) fluted tart tin with a removable base.
Halve 1 of the pastry sheets and join the 2 halves onto the top and one side of the other sheet to make a larger square. Lay the pastry over the tin, pressing it firmly into the edges.
Trim the excess pastry, leaving a slight overhang around the edges.Prick the base of the pastry with a fork to prevent it from puffing up.
Line the pastry with baking paper and fill it with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake the pastry for 25 minutes.
Remove the pie weights and baking paper, then bake for an additional 8–10 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly golden. Set the shell aside to cool for 20 minutes.
Cook the base
Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat and add the butter.
Add the leek, season with salt and white pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in the ham, half of the thyme and the quince/fruit paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring to combine. Remove from the heat.
Fill the pie
Whisk together the eggs, cream and nutmeg until well combined.
Spoon the ham filling into the pie shell and spread to an even layer. Sprinkle over the cheese, reserving some grated for the top, then pour over the egg mixture.
Sprinkle over the remaining cheese and thyme.
Bake
Place the pie on a tray and bake for 35-40 minutes, until cooked and golden.
Place the pie on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes, until cool enough to remove from the pie tin. Slice into portions and serve!

Ingredients

Directions

Recipe notes