As easy as pie

LUXURY FISH PIE

Serves 4

1 onion, halved

1 carrot, sliced

3 whole cloves

1 bay leaf

375ml water

375ml milk

500g haddock fillets

500g Cape whiting fillets

300g cooked prawn tails, shells removed

3 eggs, hard boiled and roughly chopped

80g butter

80ml flour

375ml cooking liquid

125ml cream

5ml dried dill

30ml chopped parsley

salt and pepper

1 roll frozen puff pastry, defrosted

1 beaten egg to glaze

Put onion, carrot, cloves, bay leaf, water and milk in a large saucepan and add haddock and Cape whiting. Bring to boil and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the fish is cooked.

Remove fish from liquid and cool enough to handle. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve 375ml. Skin and flake the fish, put it in a bowl and add the prawns and eggs. Set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for a minute. Add reserved cooking liquid, gradually stirring all the time until the mixture boils. Add the cream and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and pour over fish mixture. Add herbs and season well. Allow to cool completely. Spoon mixture into a pie plate.

Roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface, making it large enough to cover the plate.

Moisten the edges of the pie plate with egg and place the pastry on top of the filling. Trim the pastry to fit the plate. Brush with egg and bake at 200?C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Serve immediately.

This pie can be assembled beforehand and kept in the refrigerator until required, then baked.



THAI CHICKEN AND BUTTERNUT PIES

Serves 4

500g chicken breast fillets, cubed

30ml seasoned flour

30ml oil

1 red onion, chopped

250g mushrooms, sliced

15ml green curry paste

400g can of coconut milk

125ml chicken stock

300g butternut, cut into small cubes

grated rind and juice of 1 lime

15ml fish sauce

10ml sugar

45ml chopped coriander

45ml chopped basil

1 roll of puff pastry, defrosted

1 beaten egg to glaze

Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour. Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the chicken cubes a few at a time until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Add the onion to the pan, along with a little more oil if necessary, and fry until soft. Add mushrooms and fry for a minute.

Stir in the curry paste and cook for a minute. Add the coconut milk and chicken stock. Add the butternut and chicken and simmer until butternut is tender and sauce has thickened.

Stir in the lime rind, juice, fish sauce and sugar to taste. Allow to cool completely and stir in the coriander and basil. Spoon into individual pie dishes.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface and cut out four large circles to generously cover the top of the pie dishes. Brush the rim of the pie dishes with beaten egg and place the pastry circle over.

Decorate the top with scraps of pastry and brush the pastry with beaten egg. Bake at 200?C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.



MOROCCAN COTTAGE PIE

Serves 4

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

30g butter

salt and pepper

30ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

500g beef mince

15ml flour

15-30ml harissa paste

750ml beef stock

2 carrots, peeled and diced

400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2-3 courgettes, diced

Boil sweet potatoes in water until tender. Drain and mash well. Add butter and season to taste. Set aside.

Heat oil and fry onion and garlic until soft. Add mince and cook until lightly browned, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Stir in flour and harissa paste and cook for a minute.

Add beef stock and carrots and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir in chickpeas and courgettes and cook for another 5 minutes. Season to taste.

Spoon mixture into an ovenproof casserole and top with the mashed sweet potato. Bake at 200?C for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned.



LAMB PIES

Makes 4

500g lamb, cut into small cubes

45ml seasoned flour

50ml olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

5ml ground cumin

5ml ground coriander

5ml ground cinnamon

250ml chicken stock

400g can of chopped tomatoes

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

5ml sugar

salt and pepper

Pastry

625ml flour

3ml salt

190g butter

1 egg yolk

cold water to mix

beaten egg to glaze

PASTRY: Put flour and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into cubes and add to flour. Rub butter into flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and enough ice water to form a stiff dough.

Turn on to a floured surface and knead gently to form a smooth ball. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Toss the lamb in seasoned flour. Heat some oil in a saucepan and brown the lamb cubes a few at a time. Set aside. Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the spices and cook for a minute.

Return the lamb to the pan and add the stock and the tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 1 3/4 hours until meat is very tender. Remove the lid during the last part of the cooking time to reduce the sauce.

Remove from heat and add lemon rind and juice, sugar and seasoning to taste. Allow to cool completely.

Roll out the pastry and cut circles to fit the bases of 4-5 foil pie plates. Spoon in some filling. Cut circles from the pastry large enough to cover the pies and attach with egg wash. Seal by pressing around the rim with the tines of a fork. Decorate the top of the pie with pastry offcuts. Bake at 180?C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.



SPINACH AND PHYLLO PIE

Serves 4-6

600g baby spinach, washed

250g ricotta cheese

125g feta cheese, crumbled

80ml grated Parmesan cheese

1 onion, chopped

3 eggs, beaten

60ml pine nuts, lightly toasted

salt and pepper

3-4 sheets phyllo pastry

100g butter melted

Blanch spinach in boiling water until wilted. Drain, then refresh under cold and squeeze out excess water. Chop finely.

Combine with cheeses, onion, eggs and pine nuts. Season well.

Spoon mixture into an ovenproof dish.

Place a sheet of phyllo pastry on your work surface and brush with melted butter. Cut each sheet into four. Scrunch each square of phyllo into a rough ball and place on top of the spinach mixture.

Bake at 180?C for 30-40 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

• This article was originally published on page 13 of The Star on March 18, 2010

Soource : Babynet