Easter Puff Pastry Pie with Sweet Potato & Leek (Pivithier)
This show-stopping sweet potato pithivier is a proper centrepiece! It’s golden, flaky puff pastry wrapped around a hearty, flavour-packed filling of sweet potato, leeks and toasted cashews. Inspired by the classic French celebration pie, it’s a brilliant plant-based dish for gatherings, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want something a bit special. Serve it with rich gravy and roasted veg or a fresh salad for a beautifully balanced meal.
Takes 1 hour
Serves 5
Ingredients
- 3 large leeks
- 750 g sweet potato approx. 4–5 cups, diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans drained weight ~240g / 1½ cups
- 150 g cashew nuts approx. 1 cup
- 4 tbsp oil approx. 60ml / ¼ cup
- Juice of ½ lemon approx. 1–2 tbsp
- Small bunch fresh coriander or mint 10g / approx. ½ cup chopped
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 x 360g sheets puff pastry
For the glaze:
- 2 tbsp oat milk or milk of choice 30ml
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- Pinch of turmeric
- 1 tsp melted plant-based butter or olive oil 5ml
Instructions
Prepare the veg
- Slice the leeks and give them a good wash (they often hide grit between the layers). Peel and finely dice the garlic. Drain and rinse the butter beans. Dice the sweet potatoes into small 1cm cubes. Finely chop the herbs.
Toast the cashews
- Roughly chop the cashew nuts and add to a dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast for 5–7 minutes, stirring regularly, until golden. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cook the veg
- Heat a large frying pan over high heat and add 2 tbsp of oil. Once hot, add the leeks and sweet potato and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and butter beans, followed by the salt, cayenne and black pepper.
- Cover with a lid and allow to steam for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, add the lemon juice, and adjust seasoning to taste.
Add the cashews
- Stir through the toasted cashews. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool completely (this is important before assembling).
Assemble the Pie
- Prepare the pastry
- Unroll the puff pastry sheets and cut two large circles:
- Base: approx 24cm diameter
- Top: approx 28cm diameter (to cover the filling dome)
- Place the smaller circle onto a lined baking tray.
Fill the pie
- Spoon the cooled filling into the centre, forming a mound. Leave a 2–3cm border around the edge. Lightly dampen the border with water or milk.
Seal and shape
- Place the larger pastry circle over the top. Press the edges firmly to seal, crimping with a fork or using the back of a knife for a fluted finish.
- Score curved lines from the centre outwards using a sharp knife (don’t cut through), then make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape.
Glaze and bake
- Mix the oat milk, maple syrup, turmeric and melted butter/oil. Brush generously over the pastry.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 25–30 minutes, until puffed and deeply golden. If it browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.