Lampuki Pie (Torta tal-Lampuki)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Lampuki (dorado) fillets, or substitute mahi-mahi — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Spinach, chopped — 2 cups
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Tomatoes, chopped — 2
- Capers — 2 tbsp
- Olives, pitted and chopped — 1/2 cup (75 g / 2.5 oz)
- Tomato paste — 2 tbsp
- Olive oil — 3 tbsp
- Shortcrust pastry — 2 sheets
- Egg, beaten, for glazing — 1
- Salt and pepper — to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until softened.
- Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, cooking for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
- Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper, then gently poach or lightly pan-sear them until just cooked; flake into large pieces.
- Fold the flaked fish, capers and olives into the vegetable mixture, being careful not to break the fish up too much.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a pie dish with one sheet of pastry.
- Spoon in the filling, top with the second pastry sheet, sealing and trimming the edges, and brush with beaten egg.
- Cut a few small slits in the top and bake for 35–40 minutes until deeply golden.
Introduction: A savoury pie filled with lampuki (dorado) fish, spinach, olives and capers, baked in a golden pastry crust and tied to Malta’s autumn fishing season.
Cultural Background: Lampuki, or dorado fish, migrate past the Maltese islands each autumn, and this pie has become the traditional way to celebrate the annual catch, combining the fish with Mediterranean vegetables and a rich pastry shell.
Tips: Handle the cooked fish gently when folding it into the filling, keeping the pieces relatively large. Let the pie cool for 10 minutes before slicing so it holds its shape.
Variations: Add a handful of chopped walnuts to the filling for a traditional Maltese touch. Use puff pastry for a lighter, flakier top.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 180°C (350°F) for 15–20 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 420 kcal, 24 g protein, 22 g fat, 32 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: What can I use if lampuki isn’t available?
A: Mahi-mahi or another firm, mild white fish makes a
Q: When is lampuki season?
A: Traditionally in autumn, when the fish migrate past the Maltese
- Lampuki (dorado) fillets, or substitute mahi-mahi — 600 g (1.3 lb)
- Spinach, chopped — 2 cups
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Tomatoes, chopped — 2
- Capers — 2 tbsp
- Olives, pitted and chopped — 1/2 cup (75 g / 2.5 oz)
- Tomato paste — 2 tbsp
- Olive oil — 3 tbsp
- Shortcrust pastry — 2 sheets
- Egg, beaten, for glazing — 1
- Salt and pepper — to taste
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