Prawn Pie

Servings: 4
Preparation and Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 – 2 sheets butter puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small bulb fennel, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup dry white wine or cider
½ cup fish stock
½ cup cream (or reduced fat cream)
1 cup parmesan, grated
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
100g baby spinach
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
500g medium green prawns, peeled and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
2. Cut round tops for individual pies using the top of 1 ½ – 2 cup size ramekins as a guide, cutting a little larger than the ramekin. Alternatively cut with a pastry cutter or freehand in any shape you like. Brush with beaten egg and place on a flat baking tray in the oven. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes or until puffed up and golden.
3. Meanwhile, heat butter in a medium saucepan; add onion and fennel and cook for 3 minutes or until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another minute or two. Add wine, fish stock and cream; bring to the boil and boil vigorously until reduced and thickened a little. Stir in parmesan, zest, mustard, spinach, parsley and prawns. Cook until prawns are just opaque. Season to taste.
4. Ladle mixture into ramekins, top with cooked puff pastry and serve immediately

Lyndey’s Note: Alternatively, put cream sauce and raw prawns into the base of the ramekins, top with uncooked puff pastry and cook in the oven all together. To make a large pie, place uncooked prawns in the base of a 21cm x 21cm baking dish; pour over cream sauce. Cut 1cm wide strips from edge of pastry sheet. Press around rim of dish and brush with a little water. Sit sheet on top, pressing lightly to seal; cut off any excess pastry. Cut 2 small holes in top to allow steam to escape. Brush pastry with egg and bake for 25 minutes or until pastry is risen and golden.