Smoked Fish Pasta with Fresh Bechamel

Left field ideas: how do I turn smoked fish pie into a delicious, but delightfully simple pasta. This is parpadelle with smoked kahawai, ribboned courgette, slivered capsicum, watercress, all drizzled in a smokey bechamel sauce, sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Squeeze some lemon juice and then you've got a tagline, "Beyond Delicious."

Ingredients (makes enough for four)

For the Pasta

500g of fresh Parpadelle or, make your own.

400g Smoked Kahawai or other smoked white fish, flaked

1 Onion, finely diced

4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced

3 Courgettes, cut into ribbons

1 Bunch of Watercress

1 Orange Capsicum, finely sliced

1 Teaspoon Dill Tips

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Fresh Parmesan and Lemon to Serve

For the Bechamel Sauce

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

3 cups of whole milk, heated

Salt/Pepper

1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika

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Method

Start with the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once melted and hot, whisk in the flour, bit by bit until it's smooth. Make sure the corners of the pot get integrated or else they'll burn/congeal. Lower the heat and slowly add 2 and half cups of milk until it's creamy. Add the paprika and mix it in well. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn't form a skin.

Whip out two large pots. One for pasta, one for the fish.

Fill a pot of water for boiling pasta, salt it well and turn to a high heat until boiling.

In the fish pot, lug some olive oil. Turn it to a medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and dill tips. Gently saute them until they're translucent, then add the smoked fish.

Mix that in well, then add the courgette and capsicum. Cook until the courgette is soft, but not dissolving. Take it off the heat.

Boil the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and then mix it with the fish mixture, making sure you get even distribution of ingredients.

Add the remainder of the milk to the bechamel. Turn up the heat to medium and gently reduce. until creamy.

Serve out the smoked fish pasta, drizzle with bechamel. Sprinkle with parmesan and squeeze lemon juice over top.

Enjoy!