Recipe: Tielle à la sétoise

Name: Tielle à la sétoise
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 125 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8.75 oz (250 g) flour; 2.8 oz (80 g) softened butter; 1 egg + 1 yolk; 1.5 glass of muscat wine (Frontignan if possible); 17.75 oz (500 g) of squid well cleaned; 2 very ripe tomatoes; 2 garlic cloves, germ removed; 1 yellow onion; fine salt, cayenne pepper powder, pepper; olive oil

By Dubarry 4.8/5 (60 reviews) · 🍳 40 made it

Prep 45 min

Cook 80 min

Total 2h05

Servings 4 serv.

Tielle à la sétoise is a pie filled with squid braised in tomato and Frontignan muscat wine. Homemade pastry or reworked bread dough, filling cooks 40 minutes on low heat so the squid becomes tender. Sweet muscat balances tomato acidity, that's the dish's signature. Serve warm or cold, ideally as individual portions so pastry stays crisp.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Adjust for

servings

8.75 oz (250 g) flour
2.8 oz (80 g) softened butter
1 egg + 1 yolk
1.5 glass of muscat wine (Frontignan if possible)
17.75 oz (500 g) of squid well cleaned
2 very ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, germ removed
1 yellow onion
fine salt, cayenne pepper powder, pepper
olive oil

Step-by-step directions

1 Prepare the dough with the flour by making a well in the center, then add the butter, 1 egg, 1 nice pinch of salt and 1/2 glass of Frontignan.
Above all, do not knead it too much and let it rest like all doughs (you can also buy raw bread dough and rework it a bit with 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil and muscat; the result will be different because the dough will rise but both schools exist in Sète; personally I strongly prefer the unleavened version; the muscat is optional but gives a sweet flavor that contrasts with the acidity of the tomato and which is well liked in the Sète region.

2 Cut the squid into very small pieces or better into thin small strips and blanch in boiling (very) lightly salted water for 5 minutes then drain

3 Sauté the finely sliced garlic and onion in olive oil then add the squid.

4 Dust lightly (sprinkle a little flour on the squid), mix and cook the flour a little (1 minute) and deglaze with 1 glass of muscat.

5 Add the peeled and crushed tomatoes (you can buy them canned to simplify), salt (taste), pepper and add the cayenne.

6 Let cook on very low heat while watching (tomato can splash and burn!) for 40 minutes to bind and thicken (the dough will need to support this filling without becoming soaked); the flesh of the squid should break down more or less a bit like rillettes (according to taste).

Chef Patrick's Comment

Superb sunny recipe, looks like a hymn to Brassens, you can also add small diced pieces of octopus, to your pots!! !!! !

Frequently asked questions

Can you replace Frontignan muscat with another wine?

Yes, but you lose the signature sweetness. Try another white muscat, a light Beaumes-de-Venise, or dry white wine. Add a pinch of sugar if you go dry. The muscat's sweet note really balances the tomato in this regional dish.

How do you prevent the filling from leaking when unmoulding?

Two tricks: cook the filling for 40 minutes on very low heat until it thickens properly, and use individual moulds instead of one large one. The top pastry holds the filling better. Let cool 10 minutes before unmoulding. Serve at room temperature, not hot.

What kind of mould do you need for this tielle?

A standard 24 cm tart tin, or four individual 8 to 10 cm moulds. Individual moulds are recommended: less risk of filling leaking and better presentation. Line with pastry, leaving edges to crimp around the rim.