Smoked haddock, cheddar and parsley pasties

Smoked haddock, cheddar and parsley pasties

Forget sandwiches, Gill Meller’s wonderful pasties, made with smoked haddock, fresh parsley and tangy mature cheddar, are what you should be packing up for your picnic.

Smoked haddock, cheddar and parsley pasties

Our classic cheese and onion quiche is also perfect for picnics.

  • Serves icon Makes 6
  • Time icon Hands-on time 1 hour 20 min, oven time 45-50 min, plus resting

Forget sandwiches, Gill Meller’s wonderful pasties, made with smoked haddock, fresh parsley and tangy mature cheddar, are what you should be packing up for your picnic.

Our classic cheese and onion quiche is also perfect for picnics.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
964kcals
Fat
54.2g (32.2g saturated)
Protein
31.2g
Carbohydrates
85.1g (5.2g sugars)
Fibre
5.5g
Salt
1.1g

Ingredients

For the pastry

  • 600g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 300g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • About 180ml iced water
  • 1 medium free-range egg
  • 1 tbsp finely grated cheddar
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds

For the filling

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 25g unsalted butter
  • 20g plain flour
  • 150ml whole milk, plus an extra splash
  • 50g mature cheddar, grated
  • 1 tsp English or wholegrain mustard
  • 450-500g undyed sustainable smoked haddock (or other white fish), skinned, pin-boned
  • Small bunch fresh parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped
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Method

  1. For the pastry, put the flour and 300g butter in a food processor and whizz until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. With the motor running, slowly add the water until the mixture is moist enough to roll into a dough. (If you don’t have a food processor, make the pastry by hand in a mixing bowl: rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips, then stir in the water to bring the dough together.)
  2. On a very well floured surface, roll out the dough in one direction, away from you, to a rectangle about 1cm thick. Fold the two short ends into the middle so they overlap.
  3. Give the pastry a quarter-turn, then repeat the rolling and folding process 5 more times. Wrap the pastry in cling film, then rest it in the fridge for 1 hour.
  4. Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and cook the onions with the lid on, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until they’re soft and beginning to colour around the edges. Add the 25g butter to the onions then, when melted, add the flour. Stir well and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, then add the milk, stirring – the sauce will begin to thicken. Stir in the 50g cheese and the mustard, then season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and allow to cool.
  5. Cut the haddock into 3-4cm pieces and stir it into the cooled sauce with the chopped parsley. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.
  6. Roll out the pastry to 4-5mm thick (if it’s any thinner it may become too fragile). Use a plate to cut out 4 neat 18cm rounds. Put a quarter of the smoky fish filling in the lower half of each round, allowing a margin of 2cm for the crimping. Combine the egg and extra splash of milk in a small bowl and whisk well. Brush the margin below the filling with the egg wash and fold the pastry over to encase the filling. Crimp with the edge of your fingers to make a tight seal. Repeat for the remaining 3 pastry rounds.
  7. Brush the tops of the pasties with the egg wash and scatter over the finely grated cheese and fennel seeds. Finish with a twist of cracked black pepper. Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper. Put the pasties on the lined sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden. Eat just warm or leave to cool  and serve cold.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
964kcals
Fat
54.2g (32.2g saturated)
Protein
31.2g
Carbohydrates
85.1g (5.2g sugars)
Fibre
5.5g
Salt
1.1g

delicious. tips

  1. If you don’t like smoked fish, use unsmoked haddock or other white fish such as cod, pollock or coley.

  2. You can make the pastry up to 24 hours in advance and store wrapped in cling film in the fridge. Chill the baked pasties for up to 24 hours and eat cold or reheat in the oven until they are piping hot throughout.

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Gill Meller

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