1 Lattice Top Seafood Soup Pie

I'm nowhere near MasterChef level but I do love to cook. I can't count the number of times I've terrified myself with my amateurish cooking. Terrified, yes. I mean, "Who's gonna eat this stuff?"  ..other than me.

I don't throw food away unless very necessary. It has been drummed into my head since young. Mom would always *roll-eyes* use the Remember-the-hungry-children-in-Africa!  line if any of us showed any intention of doing so.

Anyway, I was trolling the net and printed magazines for recipes again, as I do almost every other day. I read recipes like they're romance novels. There is such a gush of emotion every time I find something exciting, like this lattice pie. It's just so pretty. I knew I had to try it!

The next day, I rummaged my souvenir magnet filled refrigerator and cheap wooden cabinets for something to fill my little round baking dish. Some fresh prawns, white mushrooms, garlic, coriander, an egg, creamy mushroom spaghetti sauce..... off we go. The plan was to have a soup dish with pastry to dip in.

First up, I made creamy seafood soup in a separate pot. I only threw in some coriander when the dish had cooled completely.
 

Creamy Seafood Soup

Then comes the exciting part, that is, making the lattice pie crust. Up, down, up, down..down, up, up, down?..huh? I think I got a little cross-eyed with all the crisscrossing that was going on. I just lost my rhythm. That's about what happened to my lattice design.

I'm just glad that it wasn't obvious once it was baked and browned over. I ask for your patience. My creative side has yet to make a full appearance.

Ready-made Puff Pastry cut into strips

Brush with egg whites and into the oven it goes!

Anyway, I could not contain my excitement so I waited near the oven. I kept looking into the glass door every once in awhile. I can't explain the feeling but I'm pretty sure that's how Fabio felt when he gazed into the eyes of the woman he adored..romance novel-like.

I pulled out my dish of piping hot creamy soup topped with a lattice pie crust less than 20 minutes later. The results were amazing. After a couple of bites, I've got to say...mmm..mm..yummiest idea I've ever tried, yummiest thing I've ever tasted. Haha.

Ho chiak (Yummy in Hokkien)