Snapper Pie
MAKES 6 INDIVIDUAL SERVES OR ONE LARGE PIE
Fish pie - Snapper and fennel with a freekeh, parmesan crust. While this recipe does require 1kg of fish it does go a long way and is most certainly welll received for brunch, lunch or dinner and can be made well in advance.
FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING
This makes more than you will need, so store it in your chiller for up to 5 days and use it to top a different pot pie flavour.
200g cold butter, cut into small cubes
100g flour
160g freekeh, cooked, drained and chilled
80g Parmesan
1 cup chopped parsley
In a food processor, combine all ingredients, (freekeh and butter must be chilled). Pulse until all ingredients combine and resemble a rough crumble mixture. Chill.
FOR THE FILLING
1kg Snapper
800mls milk
2 fresh bay leaves
1 Tbsp of black pepper corns
2 medium leeks
A pinch or 2 of freshly grated nutmeg
85g butter
50g flour
½ cup fresh dill – roughly chopped
½ cup flat leave parsley - chopped
Slice the leeks thinly, keeping them round, then separate the sliced rounds so you have rings. Cook them in butter, until they are soft. Don’t fry them they don’t want any colour, but they want to melt and become soft. Once cooked reserve.
Lightly butter a shallow baking dish or pan, place the fish in it, single layer if possible, and pour over the milk. Add the bay leaves, peppercorns and a very fine grating of nutmeg. Place over a moderate heat, turning it down just before the milk boils. Leave to simmer gently for 5-10 minutes, until the fish is opaque, tender and just cooked.
Turn off the heat, remove the fish and strain the liquor and reserve.
Flake the fish into medium size pieces.
Melt 50g of butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook until the flour is cooked out, stirring almost constantly with a whisk for about 5 mins. Then pour in the strained cooking liquid from the fish, stirring over a moderate heat till smooth. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes stirring often. You want a smooth creamy sauce.
Then fold in the fish, herbs and season.
TO ASSEMBLE + COOK + NOTES
Whether, you want individual pies that can be made and assembled and stored in your chiller ready for cooking up to 3 days, or you make a large pie for an evening meal, the choice is yours.
Choose your desired dish or dishes, brush base and side with olive oil, spoon in snapper pie mixture, then top with crumble mixture – about 1.5cm of crumble mixture.
Cook at 200ºC until pie mixture is bubbling at the sides and crunchy on the top, about 15 – 20mins depending on how shallow or deep your pie dish is.
NOTES — Buy the freshest fish possible; Swap Snapper out for Tarakihi, or Groper. Fresh dill is vital, but if you don’t have it use the fronds of fennel and more parsley.