Historical Note: This is another family favourite, featuring smoked and fresh salmon. It is an easy and flexible recipe, and the crust goes on top (which makes an upside down quiche).
Chef: Kerry Wicks
Ingredients for the Bechamel sauce:
- 1.5 Tb (45 ml) all purpose flour
- 1.5 Tb (45 ml) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (250 ml) milk
- ⅔ cup (168 ml) white wine
Ingredients for the Filling:
- 1 cup (250 ml) mixed alliums (leeks, green onions, shallots)
- ½ cup (125 ml) mixed chopped herbs
- 1 lb (454 g) fresh salmon skinned and cubed
- ½ lb (252 g) cold smoked salmon, chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg
Ingredients for the Custard:
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup (62 ml) ricotta
- ¼ cup (62 ml) parmesan (or other shredded cheeses totalling ½ cup)
- Puff Pastry (or you can use store bought)
- 1 cup (250 ml) (scant) cake and pastry flour
- ½ cup (125 ml) cold chopped unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (62 ml) cold ice water
Instructions:
- Melt the butter and stir the flour in, to make a roux (paste)
- Slowly add the milk, stirring to thicken into a sauce
- Add the wine
- Stir in the alliums, herbs, and both salmons, season to taste
- Set aside to cool
- Once it is cool, fold in the custard
- Set the butter in the fridge and the water in the freezer, to get nice and cold
- Mix in the flour, and mix the pastry with your hands,then place in the fridge for about 15 minutes
- Remove from fridge, and roll out on a floured counter, then fold like a handkerchief, roll and fold again – then place back in the fridge
- Repeat the above step, 2 or 3 more times, the final time you will be placing a circle of pastry over your pie filling
- For the pie, butter a nice deep round casserole, (the one I use is 8” (20 cm) across, and 2” (5 cm) deep)
- Place the salmon mixture in the casserole, and lay the pastry on top
- Bake in 350 degree oven, for about 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown
Yield: Enough for 4 people, and I recommend serving it with a big green salad
Wine Pairing: Harwood Pinot Gris, Chardonnay Sue Lie, Pinot Noir