Salmon in filo pastry "Salmon en Croute"

Ingredients:

Salmon in batter

• 220 gr. mascarpone cheese
• 2 large sprigs of fresh dill
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 portion filo pastry, brushed with melted butter, recipe below
• Two salmon fillets weighing 170 grams each.
• 1 cup young spinach leaves
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Homemade filo dough

• 2 cups premium flour + extra for dusting
• A generous pinch of fine sea salt
• 0.5 cups of water at room temperature
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• Special equipment: 5cm heart shaped cookie cutter.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Place the phyllo dough in front of you, cut into three strips (30x90cm) and brush with melted butter.
2. In a small bowl, combine mascarpone, dill, lemon zest, and juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside a third of the filling for the mascarpone sauce.
3. Pat the salmon fillet dry with paper towels. Place the fillet on one end of a phyllo strip, leaving an 8-10 cm (3-4 in) overhang. Season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the remaining cheese mixture over the fish, then cover with an even layer of half the spinach leaves. Cover the fillet with the overhang of pastry and wrap it in the pastry, brushing with butter as you go. Prepare the second piece of salmon in the same way and place it seam-side down on one of the prepared baking sheets.
4. Fold the last sheet of filo 4 times to a quarter of its original size (a rectangle approximately 30 x 22 cm). Grease with butter and cut out 6 hearts. Place on another prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake until the hearts are golden, 5 to 10 minutes, and the batter around the salmon is crisp, flaky, and golden, about 20 minutes.
6. Mascarpone cheese sauceIn a small saucepan, combine the remaining mascarpone mixture, cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Heat (do not boil) over medium heat. Serve the salmon en batter, drizzled with the cream sauce, and top each serving with 3 salmon hearts.

7. Homemade filo dough

   
   In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the water, oil, and egg. Using a wooden spoon or whisk, combine the liquid mixture with the dry mixture and knead until smooth.
8. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead until smooth. Then, slap the dough on the counter, flip it over, and continue kneading until smooth, about 5-10 minutes. You can also knead the dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. This takes about 10 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours.
9. Cover a table (at least 90 cm long and wide) with a clean tablecloth. Dust the entire tablecloth with flour. Carefully roll the dough into a rough square measuring 30 x 30 cm, then carefully roll the dough into a larger square measuring approximately 90 cm. Using kitchen scissors, trim the thicker edges around the perimeter and discard them. Let the dough dry slightly, about 5 minutes.
   
   Exit: 1 large sheet of filo pastry (90x90 cm)