Ackee and Saltfish Puff Hand Pies

Method

1. Rinse the saltfish, put it in a 18 cm pot with cold water, bring to the boil on high heat and boil for 15 min. Change the water and boil again for 10 min, then cool, remove skin and bones and flake it finely, about 1 cm. Small pieces fit neatly into the pies.

   Add in this stepSaltfish (boneless salt cod) 100 g

   high heat

2. Heat the oil in a 20 cm pan on medium heat, add the finely chopped onion and bell pepper, the sliced spring onions and the thyme and cook for 4 min to drive off the moisture. Add the saltfish and hot sauce, cook 1 minute more, then spread on a wide plate and let it cool completely. Hot filling melts the butter in the pastry and stops it puffing.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1 tbspOnion ½Red bell pepper ½Spring onions (scallions) 1Fresh thyme leaves ½ tspHot pepper sauce (scotch bonnet style if possible) 1 tsp

   medium heat

3. Add the ackee and cheddar to the cooled filling and fold gently with a spatula; a few whole pieces of ackee look lovely when you bite in. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.

   Add in this stepCanned ackee, drained 160 gCheddar, grated 40 g

4. Cut the cold puff pastry into 4 × 12 cm squares. Spoon filling into the centre, leaving a 1.5 cm border, brush the edges with beaten egg, fold into triangles and press firmly with a fork to seal. Brush the tops with egg, sprinkle with sesame seeds and cut 2 small steam slits with the tip of a knife. Space them out on a lined tray; if the pastry has gone soft, chill for 10 minutes.

   Add in this stepReady-rolled puff pastry, thawed 300 gEgg (for egg wash) 1Sesame seeds 1 tsp

5. Bake in the oven preheated to 200 °C (oven) for 18 min, until puffed, deep golden and browned underneath. Cool briefly on a rack; the filling is very hot, so don't bite in straight away.

   oven