Pastel De Pescado
Pastel de pescado: a showstopping fish pie of cod and spiced Swiss chard wrapped in buttery pastry, twisted into a rustic topknot and baked golden. A centerpiece dish worth the time.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
90 minREADY
Pastel de pescado is the kind of dinner-party pie that earns its keep on the table. Flaky pastry wraps around chili-spiked Swiss chard and meaty cod fillets, then gets gathered into a topknot like a tied-up linen bundle before baking.
The filling does the flavor work: blanched chard squeezed bone-dry, then sautéed with green chilies, garlic, ginger, cumin, and thyme until every drop of moisture has cooked off. Skip the squeeze-dry step and your crust turns to mush, no way around it.
A cold butter pastry chilled a full hour keeps the shell crisp under a heavy filling, and the egg-yolk wash on the inside of the dough seals against leaks. Black mustard seeds scattered over the top add a little snap-crackle bitterness against the golden crust.
Serve at room temperature in wide wedges so the layers hold their shape when sliced.
Pro Tips
- Squeeze the blanched chard aggressively, wrap it in a clean towel and wring it out like laundry, a wet filling ruins the pastry
- Let the egg-yolk wash dry on the dough for the full 10 minutes before filling, it acts as a waterproof seal
- Cool completely before releasing the springform, warm pastry collapses when you move it
- Leftovers reheat beautifully at 325°F (165°C) for about 15 minutes, the crust re-crisps
Variations
- Swap cod for salmon fillets for a richer, pinker cross-section
- Use spinach in place of chard when chard is out of season
- Add a layer of sliced boiled egg between the fish and chard for a Russian-style kulebyaka twist
Ingredients
Directions
For Pastry: In a mixing bowl or processor, combine the flour, the salt, and sugar.
Cut in ½ cup of butter until crumbly.
Add just enough cold water so that they dough holds together in a ball.
Seal in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
For Filling: Working in small batches, blanch the Swiss chard in boiling salted water.
Drain, rinse under cold water, and thoroughly squeeze dry.
Chop the chard finely and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and oil in a large skillet.
Add chilies, garlic, ginger and sauté over medium heat for 1 minute without browning.
Add the onion, and cook with stirring until translucent.
Add the nutmeg, cumin and thyme and cook 1 minute longer.
Add Swiss chard and stir until completely dry.
Remove from heat, season to taste with lemon juice and salt, and set aside.
To Assemble:
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to a very large circle ¼ inch thick.
Fold into quarters and carefully transfer the dough to a buttered 9-inch springform pan.
Unfold the dough and gently fit it into the bottom of the pan, leaving a generous overhang.
Brush the bottom and sides with some of the egg yolk mixture and set aside to dry for about 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Spread half of the Swiss chard filling over the dough and arrange fish fillets on top.
Cover evenly with remaining Swiss chard.
Gently gather up the edges of the dough in the center, and twist it into a topknot, pinching the knot with thumb and forefinger.
Leaving a knot 2 to 3 inches high, cut off the excess dough.
Brush with the remaining egg yolk mixture and sprinkle with mustard seeds, and cut several slashes around the top.
Place on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 1 to 1¼ hours.
Cool completely on a rack before removing sides of the pan.
Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature.
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