Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses Recipe

Mary Berry’s Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses are a sophisticated, golden-baked appetizer frequently featured at elegant dinner parties and festive gatherings. Ideally the pastry sheets should be kept under a damp cloth throughout the assembly process to prevent the delicate layers from becoming brittle and tearing.

Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb (500g) tail end of salmon, boned, skinned, and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 oz (250g) cooked peeled prawns
• 1 x 250g packet filo pastry
• 2 oz (60g) butter, melted (plus extra for greasing)
• Lemon juice, for sprinkling
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon slices and dill sprigs, to garnish

For the White Wine Sauce:

• 3½ fl oz (100ml) dry white wine
• ½ pint (300ml) double cream
• 1 tsp fresh dill, finely chopped

How To Make Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses Recipe

1. Season the Seafood: In a medium bowl, combine the salmon pieces and prawns. Sprinkle with a generous squeeze of lemon juice, and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to marinate briefly.
2. Prepare the Pastry: Cut the filo pastry into sixteen 18 cm (7 in) squares. To keep them fresh, brush two squares with a little melted butter and keep the remaining squares covered with a damp tea towel.
3. Assemble the Purses: Place one-eighth of the salmon and prawn mixture in the middle of one buttered filo pastry square. Fold two sides of the pastry over the mixture to form a rectangle. Take the two open ends and fold one over the top of the filling and the other underneath to seal it. Repeat this to make eight purses.
4. Bake: Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper and brush it with butter. Arrange the filo purses on the sheet, lightly brush the tops with the remaining melted butter, and bake in a preheated oven at $190^{circ}C$ ($170^{circ}C$ fan/Gas 5) for 15–20 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and golden.
5. Make the Sauce: While the purses bake, pour the white wine into a saucepan and boil rapidly until it has reduced to approximately 3 tablespoons. Pour in the double cream and simmer until the sauce reaches a light coating consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped dill and seasoning.
6. Serve: Pour the warm sauce into a side bowl or decorative jug. Garnish the hot purses with lemon slices and dill sprigs and serve immediately with the sauce on the side.

Recipe Tips

• Pastry Management: Filo pastry dries out almost instantly when exposed to air. Always keep the sheets you aren’t currently working with covered with a damp (not soaking) towel.
• Reduction is Key: Do not skip the rapid boiling of the wine. Reducing the wine concentrates the flavor and acidity, which is necessary to balance the richness of the double cream.
• Uniform Pieces: Cut the salmon into pieces roughly the same size as the prawns. This ensures that the salmon cooks through perfectly in the same time it takes for the pastry to brown.
• Make Ahead: You can assemble these purses up to 24 hours in advance. Store them in the fridge, covered with a damp cloth and plastic wrap, and bake them just before your guests arrive.

What To Serve With Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses

Filo purse accompaniments are refined additions often paired with seafood to highlight the richness of the white wine sauce. Ideally the asparagus spears should be lightly blanched to provide a vibrant, crunchy contrast to the melt-in-the-mouth salmon filling.

• Tenderstem broccoli or buttered asparagus
• A light watercress and rocket salad
• A glass of the same dry white wine used in the sauce
• Mary Berry Sun-dried Tomato Crostini as a starter

How To Store Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses

• Refrigerate: These are best served fresh for the ultimate crunch. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day.
• Reheat: To restore the crispness, reheat in the oven at $180^{circ}C$ for 5–8 minutes. Avoid the microwave, as it will turn the filo pastry soft and chewy.
• Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked purses for up to 1 month. Bake directly from frozen, adding an extra 5–10 minutes to the baking time.

Mary Berry Salmon and Prawn Filo Purses Nutrition Facts

• Calories: ~448 kcal (per serving)
• Carbohydrates: 22g
• Protein: 28g
• Fat: 28g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 8 purses.

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