Salmon Filo Pie

Our pie is inspired by coulibiac, a Russian celebration dish filled with fish, rice, eggs, mushrooms and herbs. Traditionally it uses puff pastry but we’ve used filo for a low-fat alternative.

At first glance this recipe looks complicated but it really isn’t, take it step by step, or make it with a friend or family member. We teamed up with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) to create this tasty recipe. ASMI celebrates wild, natural and sustainable seafood such as salmon and pollock.

Ingredients

2 eggs
270g OR 6 sheets filo pastry
3 x 15ml spoons olive oil
213g canned salmon
250g microwavable cooked rice
2 x 15ml spoon low-fat crème fraîche
15g fresh dill
15g fresh parsley
100g button mushrooms
1 medium onion
1 lemon
½ x 5 ml spoon black pepper

Equipment

Small saucepan
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Plastic cup
Scissors
Small frying pan
Measuring spoons
2 x Mixing bowl
Can opener
Fork
Grater
Juicer
Baking dish
Small bowl
Pastry brush
Oven gloves
Pan stand

Instructions

For the filling

1. Boil the eggs in the small saucepan for 7 minutes and then cool under cold running water and place in the small bowl.
2. Wipe the button mushrooms and slice. Finely chop the onion and chop the fresh parsley with scissors in the plastic cup.
3. Measure the olive oil into the frying pan, add the onions and mushrooms and cook gently until softened, add the chopped parsley and set aside to cool.
4. In one mixing bowl add the cooked rice, the onion and mushroom mixture and the low-fat crème fraîche.
5. Peel and chop the eggs and chop the fresh dill in the plastic cup with scissors.
6. Open and drain the canned salmon and add to the second mixing bowl with the chopped egg and dill.
7. Grate the lemon zest and squeeze the juice. Add this to the salmon mixture. Use a fork to gently combine.

For the pie

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan oven or gas mark 7.
2. Take 3 sheets of filo pastry and lay in the bottom of your baking dish, brushing each sheet with a little olive oil. Leave the excess pastry hanging over the edge of the dish.
3. Place half of the rice mixture in an even layer over the base of the pastry in the baking dish.
4. Place the salmon mixture on top of your rice mixture.
5. Place the remaining rice on top of the salmon to create your third layer.
6. Now top your pie with 3 more sheets of filo pastry and seal up the edges. Scrunching up the filo pastry will give an attractive top to your cooked pie.
7. Brush the top with a little olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper.
8. Bake for approximately 20 mins or until golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Skills used include:
Boiling, weighing, measuring, peeling, chopping, mixing, squeezing, grating and baking.

Top Tips

• Make the filling ahead of time and build your coulibiac before you want to cook it.
• Using ready cooked rice saves time and is also safer.
• Serve with a crisp salad or some broccoli.

Something to try next time

• This pie is great served cold as well as warm, why not make it for a picnic?
• Add extra vegetables and different herbs. Roasted red peppers with basil works really well in this recipe.