MASSTOWN - A national baking magazine says the Masstown Market has one of the best pies in all of Canada.
The market's Catch of the Bay Fresh Fish Market won the Ultimate Pie contest and will be featured in Bakers Journal, a monthly magazine based out of Ontario. The market entered the national pie contest with its submission of an Atlantic seafood-based pie. The dessert was then chosen as one of the top three finalists, along with Toronto's Madeleines Cherry Pie and Ice Cream (cherry blossom pie) and Vancouver's Tartine Bread & Pies (raspberry sour cream pie). Judges chose the winner yesterday.
Market owner/opertor Laurie Jennings is thrilled with the outcome.
"It's bragging rights to have our story in a national magazine," Jennings said of the prize, which also includes a trip for two to Niagara Falls.
Laura Aiken, editor of Bakers Journal, told the Truro Daily News Masstown Market's pie was chosen for many reasons.
"It was a combination of things, especially the pie crust," said Aiken. "It's structure and the right amount of flakiness and it melted in your mouth. Also the filling and its balance of flavour."
Jennings said the recipe was initiated and developed a year by the fish market's chef Megan Anatol and manager Mike DeSaulniers and has since then sold about 5,000 pies. It includes Nova Scotia haddock, cod, scallops, shrimp, cream cheese and cheddar sauce with red peppers, potato, corn and spices.
"You know you are eating seafood because it has big pieces of seafood. It's like a real good seafood chowder but in a pie," said Jennings.
This was the first year for the Ultimate Pie contest. Representatives of the magazine would not disclose how many pies were submitted for the contest.
Log onto www.trurodaily.com for the ingredients and recipe of the market's Atlantic seafood pie.
Masstown Market/Catch of the Bay Fresh Fish Market's Atlantic Seafood Pie ingredients and directions:
9" pie crust + top
Filling:
1 green onion, sliced
¼ cup red pepper, chopped
¼ cup frozen sweet corn
½ lb potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp cornstarch
4 0z cream cheese, softened
½ cup cream
¼ cup grated chedder cheese
Directions:
Season to taste with salt, pepper and dried herbs
About 1 lb fresh seafood mix (atlantic haddock, cod, shrimp and digby scallops)
In mixing bowl, stir cornstarch into lemon juice, add softened cream cheese, whisk well
Add cream slowly to cream cheese while whisking
Stir in chedder cheese, spices, green onion, red pepper, corn and potato
Cut fish fillets into pieces, add all seafood ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir
Pour filling into pastry lined pie plate, cover with pastry top and pinch dough all around to close
Cut the top of pie to vent steam
Bake pie at 350 degrees f for 40-50 mins until crust is golden brown
