Perhaps the most famous (and strangest) of all Cornish fish dishes. Originating from Mousehole, it is traditionally eaten during Tom Bawcock’s Eve on December 23 - in honour of the famous fisherman. Legend has it he braved the elements during a wild storm and saved his town from starvation.
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Heat a frying pan, add the vegetable oil, and soften the fennel, garlic and tomatoes, with spices and sea salt. Neatly arrange the diced up fish in a pie dish.
- Lay the sardines on the mixture, with their heads facing skywards. Roll the short crust pastry to fit the size of the pie dish.
- Cover the pie dish with short crust pastry, leaving the heads of sardines looking out of the pastry and seal the edges with egg wash.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Serve Hot, with lots of dressed salad leaves and buttered potatoes.
Details:
- Author:
- Prep time: 20 mins
- Cook time:
- Total time: 10
- Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
- 100g rolled short crust pastry
- 6 gutted Sardines
- 400gms Hake filets or diced Cornish fish
- 1 large chopped fennel
- 1 clove, peeled and chopped garlic
- 2 chopped tomato
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 egg
- 20ml vegetable oil
- A pinch of Cornish Sea Salt.
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Heat a frying pan, add the vegetable oil, and soften the fennel, garlic and tomatoes, with spices and sea salt. Neatly arrange the diced up fish in a pie dish.
- Lay the sardines on the mixture, with their heads facing skywards. Roll the short crust pastry to fit the size of the pie dish.
- Cover the pie dish with short crust pastry, leaving the heads of sardines looking out of the pastry and seal the edges with egg wash.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Serve Hot, with lots of dressed salad leaves and buttered potatoes.