• Fish pie pasties
WARM PARCELS OF CHUNKY FISH TO TUCK INTO WITH THE SOUP
Makes 6
450g homemade rough puff (see recipe, left) or ready-made puff pastry 500ml vegetable stock 200g smoked haddock 1 potato, peeled and cut into 1cm dice 250g white fish (dab, pollock, cod) 5 tbsp crème fraîche 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp white wine or vermouth (optional) 1 tbsp fennel seeds, toasted 30g flatleaf parsley, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped Zest of 1 lemon 100g plain flour, for dusting 1 egg, beaten 1 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/ 400F. Keep your pastry cold in the fridge while you make the filling.
2 Warm the stock in a pan. Add the smoked fish and diced potato. Poach over a medium heat for 15 mins or until the potato is tender. Add the white fish, and simmer for a further 5 mins. Drain the stock and discard or reserve for another use. Set the fish and potato aside to cool.
3 Whisk together the crème fraîche, mustard and wine or vermouth (if using). Fold in the fennel seeds, parsley, garlic, lemon zest and a generous grinding of black pepper.
4 Fold through the cooled fish and potato, gently breaking the fish up as you mix it through.
5 Remove the pastry from the fridge. Generously dust a clean work surface with flour and cut the pastry into 6. Roll to the thickness of £1 coins, then use a 12–16cm diameter plate to cut into circles. Brush the rims with water.
6 Spoon mounds (about 1½ tbsp) of the fish pie mix into the centre of each pastry circle, leaving a 2–3cm border at the edge (don’t overstuff, or they’ll burst). Lift and pull up the ‘sides’, then pinch together and fold to create a nice secure crust.
7 Place the pasties on a baking sheet, crimped edge up, so they salute the roof of your oven.
8 Brush with the beaten egg and bake for 20 mins, or until the pastry is golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack before wrapping up ready to tote.
Cook’s note You can make these in advance and warm them before you head out. To keep them warm, wrap each pasty in foil or a clean cloth and nestle in an opened tin (lid off so the pastry doesn’t lose its crispness). »