Stargazy Pie

The sprats peep out of the pie, even in this Norwegian version of the world's most famous sardine pie.

INGREDIENTS:

Number of servings

Serves 6

List of ingredients

300 g. (10,6 oz.) white flour

300 g. (10,6 oz.) cold butter

2-4 tbs. cold water

6 eggs

1 tbs. mustard

1 tsp. finely chopped thyme

1 tbs. finely chopped parsley

2-4 tbs. onions, either raw or lightly fried

100 g. (3 ½ oz.) fried bacon strips

2 boiled potatoes, chopped into pieces, if required

A bit of grated lemon peel, if required

200-300 g. (7,1-10,6 oz.) fresh sardines

PREPARATION:

• Start by making the pastry for the pie: place the flour in a food mixer. Cut the butter into small pieces and add it to the flour. Blend until you obtain a coarse, fairly even dough. Add the water and continue blending.

• Rinse your hands for some time in cold water so that they become cold, dry them and then remove the pastry from the mixer. Knead it until it is smooth. Work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming too loose and too warm. If it starts to become warm, wrap it in clingfilm and place it in the fridge.

• Pre-eat the oven to 200 C. Divide the pastry into two equal pieces. Roll one out into a circle and place it in a pie dish. Prick the pastry with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

• Whisk the eggs in a bowl. Mix together the eggs, mustard, thyme, parsley, onions, bacon and any potatoes and lemon peel. Pour this mixture into the pie dish. Add most of the sardines, except for around 10 of them.

• Roll out the remainder of the pastry and place it carefully over the top of the dish. Press the pastry towards the edge of the dish and trim off the overlapping pieces. Make holes in the top with a small knife and push the sprats carefully down into the pie, one at a time and tail first (so they are lying there staring up at the stars).

• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the egg mixture starts to become firm in the middle.