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Cockle Pie

South Pembrokeshire

Cockle-gathering tools - a large sieve, a rake and cocses.

Cockle-gathering tools - a large sieve, a rake and cocses.

© Margaret Brentnall, London

Fish

The Recipe

You will need

  • cockles
  • salt water
  • a little oatmeal
  • salt and pepper
  • white sauce (unsweetened)
  • cheese or short-crust pastry

Method

  1. Soak the cockles in salt water overnight, adding a little oatmeal to the water.  (The oatmeal helps to clean the cockles.)
  2. Then boil the cockles in clean water until the shells open. 
  3. Take out of their shells, put in a pie dish, season with salt and pepper and pour the white sauce over them.
  4. Cover the sauce with a thick layer of grated cheese or with short-crust pastry. 
  5. Bake in a hot oven until golden brown.

South Pembrokeshire.

Film/Recording

Rhian Gay demonstrating a modern version of cockle pie.

7Cockle.cy.f4v

Rhian Gay demonstrating a modern version of cockle pie.

Comments (2)

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George Sampford
12 September 2021, 09:09
Holidaying in Freshwater East, I've been trying to find a restaurant offering cockle pie. Unsuccessfully I must add, as it was over 20 years ago! Some restaurants have never heard of this traditional Welsh dish, why? Thanks for the recipe, it seems that I shall have to cook it myself...
George Sampford
12 September 2021, 09:09
Holidaying in Freshwater East, I've been trying to find a restaurant offering cockle pie. Unsuccessfully I must add, as it was over 20 years ago! Some restaurants have never heard of this traditional Welsh dish, why? Thanks for the recipe, it seems that I shall have to cook it myself...