METHOD

1. Pastry:
2. Bring the water, butter and salt to the boil in a saucepan. Add the flour and quickly mix well with a wooden spoon, until the mixture forms a ball.
3. Transfer the dough into a bowl. Slightly wet your hands and carefully knead until smooth (be careful, the dough will be hot). Cover and set aside.
4. Filling:
5. Drain the pilchards and roughly break up the fish with a fork (don’t mash). Reserve the sauce for the dipping sauce.
6. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the nutmeg and flour, stirring well for a few seconds.
7. Add the milk, a little at a time, mixing well. Make sure that no lumps form.
8. Add the cheese (if using) and pilchards and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
9. Roll the dough out on a clean, floured surface and cut out 7 cm circles. Place a spoonful of the filling in the centre of each circle, bring one end of each circle over the filling to the other end to form a half-moon shape. Press and seal the edges. Dip each rissole in beaten egg, then in breadcrumbs to coat evenly.
10. Heat the oil in a pan. When hot, carefully fry the rissoles on medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towel.
11. Hot chilli dipping sauce:
12. Mix together the hot chilli sauce reserved from the can, tomato sauce and parsley.
13. Serve the warm rissoles with the dipping sauce.