Squid pies
“Cook it fast or cook it slow - either way, calamari and squid end up a tender surprise.”
For the pastry cases
- 400g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup cold water
For the filling
- 1 kg squid (850g once cleaned)
- extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1/2 fennel bulb, finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 fresh hot chilli, halved and seeded
- sea salt
- 1/2 cup tomato paste and 1/2 cup of hot water (or 1 cup well-reduced tomato sauce)
- 200ml dry white wine
Here is the recipe for a delicious pie I discovered in the town of Sete, near Marseilles. These tielles setoises, as they are known, are delicious picnic food eaten cold. I have made them many times since serving them warm, or even hot. This recipe is from the Cook's Companion by Stephanie Alexander.
Method
For the cases
Place flour and salt in a food processor. Mix oil with water and with motor running drizzle in the liquid. Process until mixture forms a ball.
Transfer to floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes until dough feels supple and smooth. Put into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece thinly on a well-floured surface to a round of about 12-14cm. Fit half the shapes into tartlet tins.
For the filling
Slice squid bodies and cut tentacles into pieces 6cm long. - Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large frying-pan at least 7cm deep (or an enamelled casserole with lid) and saute onion, bay leaf and rosemary until onion is quite soft. Add fennel, saffron, garlic and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Increase heat and stir in squid. Add chilli and season with salt, then stir for 5 minutes before adding the wine and the tomato paste and water (or tomato sauce).
Lower heat, cover with a lid or foil and cook for about an hour until squid is very tender. (This can be done in the oven at 180C.) Uncover and test squid. If mixture is at all sloppy, raise heat and boil to reduce, stirring. The aim is a thick, moist mix without obvious liquid. Taste for seasoning and remove chilli if sufficiently spicy or alternatively, chop it roughly and leave it in. Cool.
Heat oven to 200C.
Transfer mix in batches to food processor and pulse-chop until chunky.
Spoon into pastry-lined tartlet tins. Brush inside of pastry edge with water, settle the tops on and seal really well. Make a small slit in each tartlet with a sharp knife.
Brush with extra virgin olive oil, or for a glossier finish, a lightly beaten egg yolk. Scatter with a few grains of sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce to 180C and bake for a further 15 minutes or so until pastry is golden. Allow tartlets to cool a little before serving.
They are good hot, warm or cold.
Makes 4 x 12cm tartlets.
