hot smoked salmon & leek pies with aioli

Another (rainy?) Saturday, another All Black rugby test – and another pie! But today’s is completely different to last week’s meaty extravaganza while still being totally addictive and indulgent. These ones involve sweet soft leeks, flaked firm white fish, rich hot smoked salmon, aniseedy dill and sharp lemon zest all tucked up together in flaky pastry – a decent blob of aioli and a few sharp capers or caperberries on the side, and the result is so bloody delicious! Also – they are incredibly easy to make, can all be done in advance, are loved by all ages and perfect for everything from a ladies’ lunch to rugby-watching.Unbelievable – even though it is only 7:30am on a weekend morning I am about to head out on my walk having already taken delivery of my new, orthopaedically sound, yet soft and lovely mattress, and directed the delivery guys up and down stairs and around corners and back down to the garage with the old one. I am ridiculously excited after having woken every day for the last 12 months or more with a sore back, to finally have the old rock hard mattress replaced. Yeeee ha! (God – so old, so enthusiastic about sleep…). Meanwhile Rich has made it through his psych exam and now just has to round things off with his (favourite) philosophy – the subject he was pretty much born to – and Henry is back into the daily grind in Melbourne and on the count down to the start of his interior design course, followed shortly thereafter by a trip home to celebrate his 21st birthday. I have managed to book myself in for a ton of work coming up, but will try and head back here in the usual once-a-week manner to share the recipes (like this one I prepared for Bonds Australia) that I think you’ll like.

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)