PITHIVERS RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the Puff Pastry.
• Make the frangipane: In the bowl of a food processor, blend the almonds and the sugar until very fine. Add the butter, egg, rum, flour, and almond extract and process until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and shape into a 6-inch round. Freeze until firm, at least 45 minutes.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry into a rectangle about 18 by 9 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Using a 9-inch cake pan as a guide, cut two 9-inch rounds from the dough with a very sharp paring knife or pastry wheel. Using a 1-inch circular biscuit cutter or a large round pastry tip, cut out a steam vent from the center of the top round. Place rounds on a baking sheet and freeze until very firm but still pliable, about 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and heavy cream for the egg wash.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from freezer. Place frozen frangipane round in the center of the bottom dough circle. Brush the border with egg wash, taking special care not to let the egg wash drip down the sides, which would inhibit proper puffing during baking. Place the second round on top, and press to seal, using your fingers. Using a small paring knife, score the top of each Pithivier in a circular, decorative cross-hatch pattern. With a small paring knife, score around edges in 1/4-inch increments. Transfer Pithiviers to a baking sheet sprayed well with water and chill for at least 1 hour.
• Remove Pithiviers from freezer. Brush top with egg wash, again being careful not to let any excess drip down over cut edge of dough. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes.
• Transfer Pithiviers to a wire rack, and let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
  2. Scrub the celeriac, rub with 1 tablespoon of oil and wrap in tin foil. Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes, then finely slice and season with sea salt and black pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, halve, wash and finely slice the leeks, then place in a large casserole pan on a medium heat with the butter. Peel, finely slice and add the garlic and mushrooms, then cook for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in the flour and mustard, followed slowly by the milk, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly, and remove from the heat.
  5. Pick, finely chop and stir in the parsley, crumble in the cheese, then season to perfection.
  6. Line a 20cm bowl (8cm deep) with clingfilm. Arrange slices of celeriac in and around the bowl until covered. Reserving half the sauce, layer up the rest with the remaining celeriac in the bowl, finishing with celeriac.
  7. Pull over the clingfilm, weigh it down with something heavy, and chill overnight with the remaining sauce.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
  9. On greaseproof paper, roll both sheets of pastry out to around 30cm x 35cm. Unwrap the filling parcel and place in the middle of one sheet.
  10. Beat the egg and brush around the edge of the pastry and all over the celeriac, then carefully lay the second piece of pastry on top, smoothing around the shape of the filling.
  11. Trim the edges to 2.5cm, crimp to seal, then eggwash all over. Very lightly score the pastry (like in the picture), making a small hole in the top.
  12. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 2 hours, or until beautifully golden, brushing with more eggwash once or twice, then serve with the warmed-up creamy sauce. Delicious with dressed seasonal steamed greens.