HESSEQUA NEWS - Packed with the bold, briny taste of pilchards and a creamy kick of mayo, these little pies bring a satisfying mix of flaky crust and rich filling that hits just the right spot.
Ideal for when you’re craving something oven baked, they are perfect for lunch or a mid-afternoon snack. Recipe compliments of Lucky Star.
Ingredients
- Lucky Star Pilchards in Sweet Chilli Sauce 2 cans (400 g each)
- Mayonnaise (90 ml)
- Cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup (250 ml)
- Puff pastry (2 rolls)
- Egg, beaten 1
- Flour to dust work surface
Method
- Remove the pilchards from the tins, remove and discard the bones using a fork (this is an optional step as it is totally safe to eat the bones) and place into a shallow bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise and cheese to the pilchards and mix well, but gently to keep some nice chunks.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a muffin tin. Flour the work surface.
- Roll out the puff pastry and cut out discs (large enough to be pressed into a muffin tin with a 1,5cm overhang). Line each of the greased cups of the muffin tin with the puff pastry discs. Brush the overhang of pastry with beaten egg to secure the pastry sticking to the lids during baking.
- Cut out 12 smaller pastry circles from the remaining pastry, to form the lids.
- Spoon the pilchard mayo mixture into the muffin tin cups and cover with the pastry lids. Pinch the edges of the pastry cups together to seal. Use a sharp knife to make small incisions in the pastry lids.
- Brush beaten egg over the top of each pie. Bake 15 – 20 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and enjoy!
Article: Caxton publication, The Citizen
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