Hulda
African Fish Pie is similar to the African Meat Pie, with the primary difference being the use of fish instead of meat. It has a crispy exterior and a supple, succulent interior. Enjoy it with a cup of tea, coffee, or a glass of juice.
This African Fish Pie brings back fond memories of my secondary school days. There was a lady at my school who sold these pies every day. Whenever I could buy something to eat, I always chose her fish pies. They were incredibly delicious. The fish pies you make from this recipe will be just as delightful.
How to make the African Fish Pies?
The making process of the pies can be split into three parts: preparing the filling, making the pastry, and assembling the pie.
- Preparing the filling of the African Fish Pies. The main ingredient for the filling is fish. You can use either fresh fish or canned fish. If you choose fresh fish, you need to allocate enough time to remove all the bones. Although this option is more time-consuming, it allows you to use any type of fish you prefer. In this recipe, I will show you how to make the filling using fresh fish. Once your fish is ready, you will mix it with other ingredients.
- Making the pastry. Put all dry ingredients in a bowl, then rub the butter with it. Afterward, add the wet ingredients and knead with your hands to get a dough.
- Assembling the Pie. To assemble the pastry and filling, start by forming circles from the dough. If you have a pastry cutter, use it to cut out the circles. If not, a small muesli bowl will work just as well. Place about a spoonful of filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to create a half-moon shape, then close and seal the edges with a fork. Alternatively, you can use a dumpling maker to close and seal the pies. Place the assembled meat pies on a baking tray and bake until golden brown.
I use the following African spices to enhance the taste of these pastels: White pepper of Penja and Country onion powder.
African Fish Pie
African Fish Pie is similar to the African Meat Pie, with the primary difference being the use of fish instead of meat. It has a crispy exterior and a supple, succulent interior. Enjoy it with a cup of tea, coffee, or a glass of juice.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 kg self-raising flour
- 450 g butter
- 5 eggs
- 2 tsp nutmeg
- 30 ml milk or water
- ½ tsp salt
For the filling
- 2 fresh fish or 400g canned fish
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp green seasoning
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp country onion powder
- 2 bell peppers chopped
- salt to taste
- chilli powder optional
- 2 tbsp oil
Instructions
Start with the fish pie filling
- Pour oil into the pot, and add the chopped onion, tomato paste, green seasoning. Let the mixture simmer for a while.
- Add the chopped bell peppers, and add a tiny amount of water. Cover the pot and let the mixture cook for a few minutes.
- Add salt, white pepper, country onion powder, chili powder, and the fish. Mix well and let the mixture simmer for a minute.
Continue with the fish pie pastry
- Put the flour, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Mix them together with a spoon.
- Add the butter and rub the butter with the mixture until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Make a hole in the mixture and add 4 beaten eggs and milk.
- Knead with washed hands, if the mixture is too sticky, add a little flour. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.
Forming Fish Pie
- Share the dough into four parts. Place one dough on a work surface (sprinkle the surface with flour to prevent sticking) and flatten it using a rolling pin.
- Using a bowl or something else, cut out circles by pressing the bowl on the flattened dough.
- Scoop about one tablespoon of fish pie filling into each circle.
- Fold the pie over, press gently with the fingers, and seal the edges using a fork. Then place it on a baking tray.
- Pierce each meat with a fork. Brush the surface of the pie with the remaining 1 beaten egg. Repeat the process for all circles and bake them by 150°C for about 15 minutes until they are golden brown.
