Torta Tal-Lampuki Lampuka, a close runner-up to rabbit as Malta's favorite food, is often turned into "torta tal-lampuki" (lampuki Pie), in which the fish is fried, deboned, mixed with onions, spinach, tomatoes, olives, and baked in a pastry shell.
It is not unusual for Maltese living overseas to time their visits home to coincide with lampuka season, which runs approximately from late August through November.
I have never eaten this pie anywhere else and I think even if it is made elsewhere, the taste of the Lampuka makes it a truly Maltese dish!
Ingredients:
500g plain flour
250g butter chilled and diced
3 -4 tablespoons ice-cold water
1 teaspoon salt
Fish Filling:
500gm lampuki / dolphin fish (you can also use mahi mahi or dorado)
4 large tomatoes chopped
2 large onions chopped
250gm spinach, par boiled
100gm peas
4 black olives, chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon zest
1 egg beaten
sesame seeds
salt and pepper
Method:
Dough Preparation:
Sift the flour. Add the salt. Rub in unsalted butter until mixture texture is crumbly. Gradually the cold water to the mixture and knead into dough. Roll to form a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.
Filling Preparation:
Clean the fish and remove all bones. Cut into small portions. Dip each piece in flour and fry until just cooked through. Set aside. Fry the onion and garlic until done. Add the spinach, olives, peas and tomatoes. Blend in the lemon zest. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft. Add the fish to the vegetables and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the pastry into two parts, 1/3 and 2/3. Roll out both portions to a desired thickness. With the larger portion line the bottom and sides of a baking dish. Fill in with the lampuki mix. Cover all with the smaller pastry portion. Seal the upper and lower pastry portions together along the edges of the baking dish. Cut some slits in the upper pastry layer. Glaze the top with a beaten egg. Sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake in a moderate (250c) preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes till pastry is golden in colour.
