Pembrokeshire Cockle Pie

Photo © Rob Jones

As kids we’d help our dad gathering winkles and cockles, maybe some mussels ‘Over the Aber’ in Caernarfon. That was in the days when there was a white wooden swing bridge and a floating restaurant, and the dock was lined by kids fishing for crab with lines..

Last week, a friend/colleague from 30 years ago appeared out of the blue - biked all the way from Malvern to catch up after all this time. For ease, I met him in Caernarfon - I said we’d meet under the statue of Llloyd George so he’d recognise me - and then go for a coffee on the now ‘attempting to be chic’ Slate Quay, with it’s brand new Welsh Highland Railway station, and empty boutique shops waiting for tenants. No crab fishers anymore.

Maybe that’s what brought cockles to mind. A craving.

We certainly may have helped gather the sea fayre, but we absolutely did not partake. Our young tastes were still sweet rather than savoury. Still milkshakers rather than beer. Orange squash instead of coffee or tea.

These days - I only seem to eat shellfish away from home. Not sure why. Because it feels more like celebration or being on holiday maybe?

Anyhow … cockles on the brain. Bought some jars of shelled cockles from the supermarket and waited for inspiration.

It came from Pembrokeshire in the shape of Cockle Pie.

Ingredients are few … cockles, white wine sauce, seasoning, and cheese.

Pop the cockles in an oven dish. Season well with salt, pepper, and a little smoked paprika.

Make up the white wine sauce - onions fried in butter, dab of flour and doused in white wine, augmented by a little cream. Pour over the cockles.

Grated cheese as a topping - you can use a short-crust pastry if you prefer.

Bake until brown on top.

I ate with oat cakes.

RJ