Bake the pastry ’blind’.
To bake a pie shell ‘blind’
Grease a pie dish with butter. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface. Line the pie dish with pasty and press into shape. Form a frill by pinching the pastry together. Fill the pie with dried beans. (This will keep the crust in shape and prevent it from rising). Bake the pie shell at 200°C for about 10-15 min. Cool and remove the beans. Brush the shell lightly with a beaten egg and re-bake it until the pastry is golden-brown. The filling may be added before baking.
Filling
1 kg smoked snoek, deboned and flakes
1 cup white sauce
½ cup strong Cheddar cheese, Grated
Preheat the oven to 180°C. First layer the pastry shell with a little white sauce. Then add the flaked snoek and then the onion. Repeat once more and end with a layer of white sauce. Cover this with grated cheese. Bake for 20 min or until the cheese turns a golden brown colour.
White sauce
2 cups milk
1 T butter
1 T flour
Grating of nutmeg
Warm the milk in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a frying-pan. When the foam subsides, sift in the flour. Stir it with a wooden spoon to form a smooth paste. Remove from the heat and add the warm milk. Blend together and continue to stir and return to the heat. Stir until the sauce thickens and continue to stir and return to the heat. Grate a little nutmeg into the sauce.
