Lampuki Pie

In this recipe we steamed Lampuki, spinach and cauliflower. Then we added fresh tomatoes, olives, peas, lemon zest and mint amongst other ingredients to create a tasty palate. Fish lovers would find this Maltese traditional recipe a real treat!

Ingredients (26cmx26cm oven dish)

750g Lampuki, steamed or boiled
Short pastry (click here for recipe, you need to double the pastry recipe for the Lampuki pie)
250g tomatoes, peeled and cubed
250g cauliflower, steamed or boiled
140g tomato puree
200g spinach, steamed or boiled (make sure it is well drained)
150g peas
200g onions, cubed
Zest of 1 lemon
100g olives
Olive oil
2 eggs, beaten separately
1 garlic bulb
Mint
Sesame seeds
Salt and pepper

Equipment

Steamer
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Fork
Oven dish
Pastry brush
Large plastic bowl
Rolling pin

Method

Start by cleaning the fish, cut them into portions and steam or boil them. When ready, let them cool completely, remove the bones and flake the fish with your hands.
In a large frying pan, heat up the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and leave to cook for around 3 minutes.
Add the peas, cooked cauliflower, cooked and drained spinach, olives, tomatoes, tomato puree, lemon zest, mint and some salt and pepper. Add the flaked fish and cook for around 5 minutes.
Add 1 beaten egg, give it a good stir and continue to cook until the mixture is dry and you can see no more liquids in the pan.
When ready, take it off the heat and leave it on the side.
Lightly grease the oven dish. Cut the dough in half and roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cover the dish with one of the pastries and prick some holes at the bottom with a fork.
Transfer the fish mixture onto the dish with pastry and flatten with the back of a spoon. Cover the mixture with the other half of the pastry and again prick some holes at the top with a fork. Cut out extra bits of pastry and you can make some decorations on top of the pie.
Use a pastry brush to brush to surface of the pie with the other beaten egg. Sprinkle some sesame seeds.
Put in oven on gas mark 5-6 for around 40 minutes or until it turns into a nice golden colour.
When ready, Take out of the oven and leave to rest for about 15 minutes before taking your first slice.