Spotted sort of pie, fodder essentially encased (7)

I believe the answer is:

dappled

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'spotted' is the definition.
(dappling is a kind of spotting)

I cannot understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for dappled that I've seen before include "spotted with colour" , "Spotty" , "Mottled" , "Marked with spots or patches or shade" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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