Filo-crusted smoked haddock, cheese & leek pie
Filo-crusted smoked haddock, cheese & leek pie
Ingredients
For the pie filling
- 600ml whole milk
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp white peppercorns
- 650g good-quality smoked haddock fillets (see tip)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 75g butter plus extra for frying
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 2 large leeks halved and finely sliced
- 75g plain flour
- 1 tbsp English mustard powder
- juice 1 lemon
- 175g strong cheddar diced
For the filo crust
- 140g butter
- 6 garlic cloves grated
- 400g filo pastry
- small bunch chives finely snipped
Instructions
- 1
Bring the milk, bay and peppercorns to a simmer in a large shallow pan. Drop in the haddock, turn off the heat, cover with a lid or foil and leave to cool for 30 mins – the haddock will be just cooked.
30 min - 2
Carefully remove the haddock and set aside on a plate, then strain the milk through a sieve into a jug.
- 3
To prepare the haddock, remove the flesh from the skin, making sure all bones and spices have been discarded – the fish should break into natural bite-sized flakes. Set aside until needed.
- 4
Heat the oil and a small knob of butter in a pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 15 mins.
15 min - 5
Add the leeks and continue cooking for 2 mins.
2 min - 6
Drain in a colander and leave to cool.
- 7
In the same pan, melt the 75g butter, then stir in the flour to form a paste.
- 8
Cook for 3-4 mins without colouring, then slowly ladle in the warm milk, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until you have a glossy sauce.
4 min - 9
Stir in the mustard poweder, lemon juice and some seasoning, then pass through a fine sieve.
- 10
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
- 11
To assemble the pie, place the leeks in the bottom of a 1.6-litre pie dish (about 22cm) and top with a third of the sauce.
- 12
Follow with the flaked smoked haddock and another third of the sauce.
- 13
Finally, scatter over the cheese and top with the remaining sauce, making sure the filling is completely covered.
- 14
For the filo crust, melt the butter in a small pan, then add the garlic.
- 15
Heat gently for 5 mins to allow the garlic to infuse.
5 min - 16
Lay one sheet of filo on a chopping board and brush all over with the garlic butter, then sprinkle with some chives and cracked black pepper.
- 17
Place another sheet of pastry on top at a slight angle and repeat.
- 18
Continue in this way until you have used up all the pastry and almost all the garlic butter. You should have created a jagged-edged pastry circle.
- 19
Lay this on top of the pie dish, then use a sharp knife to trim the edges, but still leave an overhang.
- 20
Brush with a final layer of butter, sprinkle with flaky sea salt and bake for 40 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp.
40 min - 21
Serve with the Charred Baby Gem, watercress & bacon salad (see recipe, Goes well with).
Nutrition
Per serving (based on 4 servings)
