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Mackerel with filo pastry

Angela Hartnett from Market Kitchen
Angela Hartnett's open-topped pies are a quick way of cooking this tasty fish, combined with vine-ripened tomatoes and crisp pastry

Mackerel with filo pastry

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C/gas 4.

2. Slice each mackerel fillet into 6 thin pieces.

3. Skin the tomatoes by making a small incision in the top of each one, then placing in a bowl. Cover the tomatoes with boiling water, then after 10 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into another bowl filled with iced water. Peel, quarter and remove the seeds from the tomatoes, then cut the flesh into 5mm squares. Set aside.

4. Heat the butter in a small pan over a low heat, making sure it does not boil. Remove from the direct heat and leave to rest in a warm place on the hob for 10 minutes. At this point it should separate into three layers. Discard the bottom and top layers so you are left with clarified butter.
5. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a baking sheet, keeping the rest of the pastry covered with a damp cloth to prevent it drying out. Brush with the clarified butter and top with another sheet of filo. Continue the process with the remaining 5 sheets, finishing with a plain sheet of filo. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

6. Cut the pastry into four rectangles each measuring about 10 x 6 cm. Scatter a quarter of the tomatoes over each piece and arrange the mackerel slices on top. Drizzle with a little olive oil, season and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the fish is just cooked.

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Serves: 4

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 30 min

Ingredients
4 x 90g fresh mackerel fillets, skinned and pin- boned
500g vine-ripened tomatoes
100g Butter
7 sheets Filo pastry
Olive oil, for drizzling