Ingredients

For the pastry
100g Montgomery's Cheddar–finely grated
 
500g plain flour
200g butter–cold and diced
a pinch of salt
chopped sage
a little cold water to mix
For the filling
Roughly 200g Leftover Wiltshire Ham Chopped
 
butter and olive oil
½ fennel bulb–chopped
1 leek–chopped
Roughly 6 mushrooms-quartered
1 large crunchy apple–chopped
Fresh rosemary–finely chopped
Fresh thyme–finely chopped
For the cheese sauce
50g Bungay Butter
 
100g Colston Basset Stilton
 
500ml whole milk
50ml DukesHill Traditional Apple Cider
 
50g plain flour
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Dom In The Kitchen - Christmas Ham, Apple & Fennel Pie with a Creamy Stilton Sauce

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There’s something wonderfully comforting about gathering up all the delicious odds and ends from Christmas Day and transforming them into a show-stopping dish for Boxing Day or beyond. This hearty Christmas Leftovers Pie brings together tender vegetables, sweet apple, fragrant herbs, and generous chunks of leftover ham, all wrapped in a buttery cheese-flecked pastry. Bathed in a rich Stilton and cider sauce, it’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with irresistible aroma and the table with smiles. Whether you’re entertaining guests or simply treating the family, this pie is a beautiful way to reduce waste while celebrating the very best flavours of the season.Find Dom creating this recipe on Instagram. (Dominic Franks (@dominthekitchen) • Instagram photos and videos)

Directions

  1. Step 1 You will need a 2cm round metal pie dish, which you should butter and place onto a metal baking sheet.

  1. Step 2 Start with the pastry...Place the flour, butter and cheese into a large bowl, and rub them all together with your fingertips until they resemble breadcrumbs.Stir in the fresh herbs and then add a little bit of water.Using one hand in a claw-shape, start to stir the crumbs together until they begin to form a dough.Add a little more water if needed to bring the whole lot together into a ball of dough. You can almost clean the bowl with the ball of dough.Once the ball of dough is formed, divide into two equal parts. Flatten them out into 2 disks, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

  1. Step 3 Time to sauté the veg...Add a little butter and olive oil to a pan on a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and fresh herbs, and sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften and pick up a little colour.Add a little more butter and stir in the fennel and leeks. Sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.Finally, stir in the apple and ham, then take it off the heat and set aside.

  1. Step 4 Now onto the cheese sauce...Pour the milk into a pan on a medium heat.Add the butter and flour. Whisk gently for roughly 5 minutes until the butter has melted and the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency.Stir in the cider, then turn the heat to low and simmer gently for another 3 minutes.Stir in the cheese, then season with salt and pepper.Pour the cheese sauce into the pan with the sautéed veg and ham and stir well. Set aside whilst you roll out the pastry.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180ºC fan / 400°F / Gas 6).

  1. Step 5 Time to build the pie...Roll out both disks of pastry on a floured board, and line the base of the pie tin with one of the disks. Trim the edges, then pour in the creamy sauce.Lay the second disk of pastry on top of the pie. Tuck the edges of the top disk under the edges of the bottom disk and crimp using whatever method you’re comfortable with.Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Serve warm with leftover vegetables.