Italian Fish Recipes - Seafood Pie (Pasticchio di Frutta di Mare) Recipe

Ingredients

• 225 g/8 oz short crust pastry (basic pie crust)

• 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp unsalted (sweet) butter

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 100 g/4 oz mushrooms, sliced

• 300 ml/1 1/4 cups Basic White

• 150ml/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice

• 225 g/8 oz cooked peeled prawns (shrimp)

• 225 g/8 oz white fish, cooked and flaked

• 30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 100 g/4 oz/1 cup hard cheese, grated

Method:

1. Roll out the pastry and line a 23 cm/9 in pie dish. Prick the pastry with a fork and line with greaseproof (waxed) paper and baking beans.

2. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5 for 10 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and continue baking for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from the oven and set aside. Melt the butter and cook the onion for 5 minutes.

4. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.

5. Blend the white sauce, cream, salt, pepper and lemon juice and stir in the onion and mushrooms, prawns, flaked white fish and parsley.

6. Pour into the pastry case (pie shell) and sprinkle over the grated cheese.

7. Return the pie to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until brown on top and piping hot.