So Easy Salmon Pie

What do you like to eat when you've just survived days and days of Christmas dining with all its richness? When you're sick at the very sight of food but need sustenance? I turn to my comfort foods, one of which is Salmon Pie.
Normally I take a full fillet of salmon and sear it in a frying pan then wrap it in pastry and call it Salmon Wellington but this time, I was using pre-cut, left over sashimi salmon so I decided to make individual pies (which I have to admit worked out so well that I'm going to make it this way from now on!).

Ingredients (makes 4 small pies or 1 large sized pie)

• 300g Fillet salmon, cubed into even sized pieces about the size of regular dice
• Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 Sheets of pre-rolled puff pastry, thawed from frozen
• 500g baby spinach leaves
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon light olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Mild English Mustard (or Hot if you love it)
• 1 teaspoon Butter (to grease your tin-s)
• 1 tablespoon milk to brush over tops of pies
• 4 small pie tins or I used a 6-hole muffin top pan (or 1 medium flan tin)

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C (mine is a fan-forced oven but set your oven as you would for baking other puff pastry goodies);
Put your cubed salmon into a bowl and season with salt & pepper & mustard and lemon juice (if using), set aside to marinate;
In a shallow frying pan or saucepan, heat the oil, add garlic, fry until lightly golden;
Add baby spinach and sweat until just soft, take it off the heat so it doesn't overcook, leave to cool;
Using a piece of greaseproof or baking paper, smear the bottom of your pie tin(s) with an even coating of butter;
Using the larger of two saucers, invert and place on one corner of a square of pastry and cut around it. This saucer should be about 1 cm larger in diameter than your pie tin;
Cut your second circle from the opposite corner to the first, leaving two corners of your square intact;
Do the same with the second sheet of pastry;
Using a saucer which is roughly the same size as your pie tin, invert it and place it on the remaining pastry and cut around it to make your pie tops;
Gently press each larger round into the bottom of each of your pie tins;
When cooled, layer some baby spinach on top of the pastry;

Spoon cubes of marinated salmon until it covers the spinach;


Position a smaller round in the middle of your pie and bring the lower edge up and over the upper edge then crimp together with your fingers; Repeat with the remaining pie tops;

Brush some milk over the top of each pie;

Poke a small hole in the middle for steam to escape;








Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is crisp.

Served with salad or some steamed vegetables, this makes a lovely light brunch, lunch or dinner or you can even have it cold the next day.  I took these to a lunch the day after I made them and they reheated quite well too.

If you find salmon "fishy", you can also substitute fairly solid white fish such as cod or barramundi or you could grate a little fresh ginger into the marinade. Enjoy! :D