Fish and leek pie

Special equipment • 1-quart (1-liter) pie dish

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 leeks, thinly sliced

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

2/3 cup hard cider, apple cider, or unsweetened apple juice

handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

2/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1½lb (675g) raw skinless, boneless white fish, such as haddock or pollack, cut into chunks

half of a 17.3oz (425g) box frozen puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed as package directs

all-purpose flour

1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Heat the oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the leeks, and continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the flour, and add a little of the cider. Return to the heat, pour in the remaining cider, and cook for 5–8 minutes until thickened.

2 Stir in the parsley and cream and cook 1–2 minutes, then remove from the heat and stir in the fish. Spoon the mixture into a 1-quart (1.1 liter) pie or other baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper.

3 Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface so that it is about 2in (5cm) larger all around than the top of the pie dish. Cut out a strip of pastry about 1in (2.5cm) in from the edge to make a collar. Moisten the edge of the pie dish with a little water; fit the pastry strip all the way around, and press down firmly. Brush the pastry collar with a little of the egg wash, then top with the pastry lid. Trim away the excess, and pinch together the edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, make 2 slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

4 Brush the top of the pie all over with the egg wash, and bake for 20–30 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden. Serve hot.

Fish and leek pie