Potato Pithivier

A pie on a plate with a slice taken out.

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4.92 from 47 votes

This rustic potato pie is wrapped in a crispy, crunchy puff pastry shell. It's sure to become a family favorite!

Prep Time2

Cook Time1

Chilling Time30

Total Time3 30

Course: Side Dish Recipes

Cuisine: GBBO Inspired

Servings: servings

Calories: 629kcal

Author: Laura

Ingredients

Potato Filling

1 2/3 pound yellow potatoes
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups milk
2 TBSP minced garlic
1 tsp salt more as needed, taste your filling bofre baking and add more as needed
1 TBSP light olive oil
3 TBSP butter
1 cup thinly sliced onion
2 pinches nutmeg
2 TBSP unsalted butter
pepper

Rough Puff Pastry

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
4 1/2 TBSP cold butter
11 1/4 TBSP frozen butter
2/3 cup cold water
1 egg

Blue Cheese Sauce

3/4 TBSP butter
1 1/4 TBSP all-purpose flour
9 1/2 TBSP Roquefort or Blue Cheese
2 TBSP fresh tarragon chopped

Instructions

to make the potato filling

wash and thinly slice the potatoes, leave the skins on
warm the heavy cream, milk, and garlic together in a heavy bottom dutch oven
add the potatoes to the cream mixture, and cook just until the potatoes are fork tender
meanwhile heat the oil and butter together in a skillet, and begin to cook the onions
when the potatoes are cooked lift them out of the cream mixture and drain them, reserve the cream mixture
lay the potatoes on a pan in a single layer and sprinkle them with the 1 tsp salt cool them until ready to use, taste and add more salt as needed
cook the onions until they just start to carmelize and then set aside to cool

to make the rough puff pastry

whisk the flour and salt together
chop the cold butter into the flour and then work it into the flour with your hands
once the flour looks like crumbs add JUST enough of the water to the flour to hold the dough together
roll the dough into a 5x15 inch rectangle
grate half of the frozen butter over the dough
fold each side of the dough together to the center of the dough, then fold the whole thing in half--- this is the book fold, this graphic shows you how to do it, ignore the measurements just look at the folds
then rotate the dough 90° and roll it into another 5x15 inch rectangle
here's another diagram of folding dough, this is the letter fold
grate the remaining frozen butter over the rectangle of dough
repeat the book fold again, then wrap the dough and freeze it for 15 minutes
repeat the roll out and fold as above but without the butter
wrap the dough and freeze it for 15 minutes

assemble the Pithivier

remove the dough from the freezer and divide it into 2/5s and 3/5s, wrap and chill the 3/5s piece of dough
roll the 2/5s piece of dough out until you can cut a 10-inch circle out of the dough
line a baking sheet with parchment and lay the 10-inch circle of dough on the parchment
IMPORTANT taste the filling before adding it to the bottom crust-
put one layer of chilled potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg on the potatoes, leave a one inch rim of dough uncovered
repeat the layers of the potatoes making a dome with a 1-inch ring of uncovered dough
place the baking tray with the potato dome into the fridge to chill
roll the remaining dough out to an 11 1/4-inch circle
beat the egg with a TBSP of water
remove the baking sheet from the fridge and lay the circle over the top of the potatoes
use a pastry brush and brush egg over a short area of the 1-inch rim of unfilled dough, press the top crust dough and pinch it together
repeat around the pie, easing the top crust down and fitting it together
scallop the edge of the pie, press 2 fingers on the outside of the dough and one finger on the inside to crimp it all the way around
knock up the edge by then pressing the scallop up so it stands upright
brush the whole top of the pie with the egg wash
at the very top of the dome cut a vent hole to let out steam
then use a paring knife to gently score the dough down from the circle to the the scalloped edge
refrigerate 30 minutes
meanwhile preheat the oven to 400°
once chilled bake for 40-45 minutes until baked, browned, and crispy

make the sauce

meanwhile make the sauce if you're using it
melt the butter and flour together an cook over low hear for 3 minutes to cook the flour
strain the cooking cream and slowly add enough of the strained liquid to make a thick sauce, cook and stir to keep it lump-free
crumble the cheese and melt it into the sauce
add tarragon and pepper to taste
when the pie is done serve it hot, move it to a cutting board to slice and serve it with the sauce if using

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