MILKFISH PIE

By: Mika Chanel Go and Jose Vicente You

We chose this recipe because it is easy to make, healthy, presentable, tasty and colorful meal for your friends or family. This recipe also shows how versatile Milkfish can be. This fish can be easily found in markets and in grocery stores so there are no excuses of not eating this kind of tasty fish.

Prep: 20 minutes 

Cook: 50 minutes

Total: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Yield: 1 baking dish (4 - 6 persons)

Ingredients:

·         1 kg. Potatoes

·         250 g. Carrot

·         50 g. Celery

·         70 g. Edam or Cheddar Cheese

·         30 g. Chili Finger

·         500 g. Milkfish

·         150 g. Prawns

·         4 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf Parsley

·         1 pc. Lemon

·         250 g. Tomatoes (optional)

·         50 g. Spinach

·         60 ml. Olive Oil

·         45 g. Butter

·         30 ml. Milk

·         Salt

·         Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Procedure:

1. Preheat the oven at 200˚C or 400˚F.

2. Cook unpeeled potatoes in salted water for 10 – 13 minutes. 

3. Using a fork, poke the potatoes to check if it’s tender already. If the potato easily slides off the fork, it’s done.

4. Drain the water, peel, and set aside. (It is easier to peel a potato once it is cooked.)

5. Peel the carrots and grate into a bowl.

6. Remove the fibers of the celery by snapping the ends backward and pull, then grate the celery into your bowl with grated carrots.

7. Chop chili fingers into bias cut and add into the bowl.

8. Grate the cheese and add into the bowl of grated vegetables.

9. Remove the head of the fish.

10. Cut it in half and remove the skin.

11. Cut the fish in cubes or an inch chunks. Add into the baking dish.

12. Remove the head and shell, and devein the prawns. Add into the baking dish.

13. Cut the end of the stalks, finely chop the parsley. Add into the baking dish.

14. Squeeze lemon juice on to the other ingredients inside the baking dish.

15. Chop the tomatoes into small dice.

16. Add the tomatoes and spinach with the other ingredients.

17. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the spinach.

18. Season with salt and pepper.

19. Mix all the ingredients together. Set aside.

20. Add the butter in the potatoes and put a little bit of olive oil. 

21. Season with salt and pepper.

22. Mash the potatoes and add a little bit of milk.

23. Pile it on top of the mixture and drizzle some olive oil.

24. Using a fork, gently score the whole surface area horizontally then after that, score the mash from left side going to the right vertically leaving one inch apart.

25. Bake for 40 minutes at 200˚C or 400˚F or until the top are golden brown.

26. To serve, get a slice of the desired amount and put it on a plate, drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle a little bit of freshly chopped parsley on top.