Haddock Pie

Haddock Pie

2 eggs
6 large potatoes, peeled and diced
a pinch of nutmeg
120g butter, cuber
200g frozen peas
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
250ml cream
80g cheddar cheese, grated
15ml lemon juice
5ml granulated mustard
62ml parsley, chopped
500g haddock, cut into 2cm x 2cm pieces

Preheat your oven to 220℃.
Boil the eggs for 7 minutes, peel and quarter them and set aside.
Cook the potato until soft. Drain, mash and add a pinch of nutmeg.
Add the butter and mix through until the butter has melted and it is incorporated into the potato.
Taste the potato and season with salt. Set aside.
Measure the frozen peas into a mixing bowl and fill the bowl with boiling water.
Stand the peas for 1 minutes, drain and set aside.
Pour some oil into a saucepan set over medium heat.
Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the cream and bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard, parsley, peas and fish and stir to mix.
Scoop the mixture into a 18cm x 28cm ovenproof dish and arrange the eggs on top.
Finally spread the mashed potato on top and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve the pie piping hot.

Dutch Crumb Pie/Kruimelvlaai

Dutch Crumb Pie/Kruimelvlaai

Although a kruimelvlaai is often made with a sweet pie crust the traditional version calls for a yeasted pastry and it is soooo worth it! This is a delicious tart – a creamy, smooth custard filling in a slightly chewy pastry with a crunchy streusel on top!!

Pie Crust:
150ml milk, tepid
50g butter
250g flour
10g dry yeast
35g sugar
a pinch of salt
5ml vanilla

Filling:
1l milk
80g cornstarch
150g sugar
3 eggs
10ml vanilla

Streusel:
100g butter
175g flour
75g sugar
5ml vanilla
a pinch of salt

For the filling:
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Mix the cornstarch and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs and whisk well.
Take the milk from the heat and pour a third of it on the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
Now pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk while whisking away.
Turn the heat down to medium and keep whisking until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
Take the saucepan from the heat, add the vanilla and mix through.
Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on to the surface and leave to cool completely.

For the pie crust:
Warm the milk until tepid and add the butter to melt.
Add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and vanilla to a mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Pour the liquids into the well, mix with a fork to bring the pastry together and knead the dough by hand for 3 minutes, until smooth. You may add small amounts of flour to get the dough to the consistency where it can be kneaded.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for one hour.
Spray a 24cm tart tin with cooking spray.
Roll the dough into a circle of about 28cm in diameter and line the bottom and sides of the tart tin.
Place in a warm spot.

For the streusel:
Add the butter and flour to a mixing bowl and rub it together until it resembles course breadcrumbs.
Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and rub with your fingers to mix through.

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Pour the cold filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top.
Sprinkle the streusel over the filling in an even layer.
Bake the pie for 45 minutes.
Take the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool.
Serve generous slices with a cup of coffee.

Dutch Beer Dip

Dutch Beer Dip

15ml butter
15ml flour
2,5ml mustard powder
125ml beer
125ml cream cheese
125ml grated Dutch cheese (or cheddar)

Add the butter to a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the butter has melted.
Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds while stirring.
Add the mustard powder and stir through.
Pour in the beer in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Turn the heat to low, stir in the cream and add the cheese.
Stir until completely melted and incorporated as a sauce.
Serve the sauce as a dip with vegetable sticks, pretzels or bread sticks.

Dutch Apple Tart/Appeltaart

Dutch Apple Tart/Appeltaart

Pie Crust:
375ml flour
125ml sugar
125g butter, cubed
1 egg

Filling:
4 large apples
83ml raisins
83ml brown sugar
2,5ml ground cinnamon
finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Eggwash:
1 egg and 15ml water whisked together

For the pie crust:
Combine the flour and sugar in a mixing bowl.
Add the cubed butter and rub in with your fingertips until it is clumps the size of peas.
Whisk the egg with a fork and add it to the mixture.
Mix the pastry with your hands and add a few drops of water if it is too dry to come together.
Shape the pastry into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

For the filling:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 22cm pie dish with cooking spray.
Peel the apples, core them and cut into small chunks. Add them to a large mixing bowl.
Add the raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest and mix through.
Cut the pastry into 4 equal pieces and set one piece aside.
Press the rest of the pastry into the bottom and sides of the cake tin – you can roll it out and patch wherever it breaks.
Spoon the filling into the pie crust.
Dust a work surface with flour and roll out the remaining pastry.
Cut into strips and make a lattice pattern for the tart.
Brush the pastry with the egg wash.
Place the apple tart in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Serve the tart with a dollop of cream.