Easter Pot Pies

Good Friday can be a variable with regard to visitors - sometimes a lot and mostly passing through on their way to the coast. Mostly, I serve a simple meal for brunch or lunch, however dinner is often these pot pies. Not too much pastry, leaving plenty of room for a hot cross bun for dessert.

The filling can be made in advance as it is better to put it in the pots or ramekins when it is cold. The puff pastry sheets can be thawing in the fridge and then the pies assembled in a few minutes with 30 minutes baking time.

I like to use a little smoked cod in the the filling. This was the fish that we had on Good Friday when I was growing up. I did not really like it then but it adds some complexity to the dish. The supermarket that I went to did not have any - perhaps it has fallen from favour.

 Chicken can be substituted for the fish but will need longer to poach. This will make four small ramekin sized pot pies.

 

Slice the trimmings into strips approximately 1 cm wide.
Press the 1 cm strips around the edge of the dishes / pots.










Divide mixture equally between the dishes.

Place lids on the pies and press down onto the pastry rim.

Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds

Serve with salad or a jacket potato or maybe some mashed potato and peas.

Fish Pot Pies

2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 1 ½ cups milk, hot Freshly ground black pepper 600 g firm white fish / green shelled prawns 1 -2 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 -2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 sheet puff pastry a little milk or egg wash for glazing Optional sesame seeds for garnish

Cut fish / prawns into small bite sized chunks. Poach fish/ seafood in a small amount of water until just cooked. Allow to cool.

Melt butter, add flour and cook over low heat for about a minute. Do not allow to colour

Add milk and garlic and stir continuously over low heat until it boils and thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Allow to cool. The mixture will be thick and become firmer as it cools.

Mix fish pieces, parsley and spring onions into the cool white sauce. Refrigerate until needed.

Cut pastry sheets into circles by tracing around the edges of the pot pies. Slice the trimmings into strips approximately 1 cm wide.

Press the 1 cm strips around the edge of the dishes / pots.

Divide mixture equally between the dishes.

Place lids on the pies and press down onto the pastry rim.

Brush with a little milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds

Stand pot pies on a tray and bake at 200 deg C for 10 minutes and then reduce to 180 deg C until golden brown and puffed.

Makes four small ramekin sized pies