Trout and Asparagus Pie

A fabulous way to enjoy wonderful English asparagus and delicious Kilnsey Park trout

Thanks to the British Trout Association for the recipe

Crisp filo pastry filled with layers of trout, ricotta cheese, asparagus and mushrooms makes a dramatic-looking dish that is absurdly easy to make

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

115g/4oz asparagus
75g/3oz/6 tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
115g/4oz/11⁄2 cups button (white) mushrooms, sliced
30ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
250g/9oz/generous 1 cup ricotta cheese
115g/4oz/1⁄2 cup mascarpone cheese
450g/1lb trout fillet, skinned
8 filo pastry sheets, each measuring 45 x 25cm/18 x 10in
salt and ground black pepper
butter, for greasing
flat leaf parsley, to garnish
  1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas 6. Grease a 23cm/9in springform cake tin (pan). Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the asparagus and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water and drain again.

  2. Heat 25g/1oz/2 tbsp of the butter in a frying pan and add the onion. Cook for 3–5 minutes or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the parsley and season well with salt and black pepper.

  3. In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta and mascarpone cheeses. Stir in the onion mixture. Melt the remaining butter in a small pan.

  4. Line the cake tin with the filo pastry sheets, brushing each layer with melted butter and leaving the edges hanging over the sides of the tin. While you are working with one filo pastry sheet, keep the rest covered with a damp, clean dishtowel so that they do not dry out.

  5. Place half the ricotta mixture in the base of the filo-lined tin. Remove any remaining pin bones from the trout fillets, then arrange them in a single layer over the ricotta. Season well.

  6. Top with the asparagus and the remaining ricotta mixture. Bring the overhanging edges of the pastry over the top, and brush the layers with the remaining butter.

  7. Bake the pie for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cover loosely with foil and cook for a further 15 minutes.

  8. To serve, remove the pie from the tin and place it on a warmed serving plate. Serve in slices, garnished with flat leaf parsley.