STARGAZY PIE
A traditional Stargazy pie is also filled with mashed potato, this is a lighter version made with breadcrumbs in milk
SERVES: 6 PREP: 20 MINS COOK: 50 MINS
150g (5oz) white breadcrumbs 50ml (2fl oz) milk
Juice of 1 lemon and rind
1 onion, chopped
3-4 tbsp parsley chopped
½ tsp salt and pepper to taste
7-8 herring gutted, cleaned, boned and heads left on
110g (4oz) streaky bacon rind removed and chopped
3 hard-boiled & roughly chopped eggs 150ml (¼ pt) cider
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry 1 beaten egg to glaze
FOODIE FACT: THE SINGING HINNY
GETS ITS NAME FROM THE
HIGH-PITCHED NOISE IT MAKES WHEN
BEING COOKED ON A GRIDDLE of tartar and salt. Rub in the butter and lard using your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs
2 Mix in the raisins or currants, then add enough milk to form a dough.
3 Tip the dough onto a floured board, then knead until smooth.
4 Roll out the dough to about 1.5cm (½ in) thick, then use a 5cm (2in) cutter to stamp out discs.
5 Grease a heavy-based pan then fry the cakes in batches for around 5 mins on each side until golden.
6 Transfer to a wire rack, and sprinkle with a little caster sugar if desired.
Per serving: 417 cals, 22g fat (11.5g sat fat), 13g sugar, 0.4g salt 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas Mark 4.
2 Soak breadcrumbs in milk until moist, mix with lemon juice and rind, half the chopped onion plus most of the parsley and seasonings. Use to stuff fish, scattering any leftover over the base of a deep, round 23cm or similar pie dish.
3 Arrange fish in the dish with their heads sticking up towards outer edge, scatter the remaining onions and parsley, chopped bacon and chopped eggs in between the fish, season well and carefully pour in the cider.
4 Roll out pastry to fit the top of the pie dish, use trimmings to make a pastry rim to help the lid to stick to the top.
5 Place pastry on top of pie and make slits in top where the heads are and then poke them through so they stand up. Press edges together to seal, trim and brush top with beaten egg.
6 Make a couple of slits or holes in centre to allow steam to escape and bake for 40-50 mins until pastry golden brown. Scatter with chopped parsley to serve.
Per serving: 732 cals, 44g fat (15g sat fat), 4g sugar, 2g salt