Fish pie is a classic comfort food made using different types of fish and seafood topped with a layer of mashed potato.
This traditional British dish is often viewed as a family favourite and a popular go-to meal. Unlike a standard pie which is encased with pastry, a fish pie is cooked in a deep ovenproof dish and topped with mash like a shepherd’s or cottage pie.
There are lots of different recipes you can try when it comes to making your own fish pie, some using cheese, prawns or even hard boiled eggs. The fish is usually cooked in a white or cheese sauce though you can also add herbs like parsley or chives.
We love this recipe from Si King and Dave Myers of The Hairy Bikers, which featured in their BBC TV series The Hairy Bikers’ Comfort Food. It uses three types of fish and a dill sauce to create a rich and indulgent dish they call Fabulous Fish Pie.
Serves 6 | Prep time less than 30 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes to one hour
Ingredients
600ml whole milk
1 onion - peeled and cut into six pieces, keeping the root intact
2 bay leaves
500g white fish fillets like haddock, cod or pollock
500g salmon
500g smoked haddock
6 free-range eggs
100ml double cream
75g butter
75g plain flour
3 tbsp white wine
fresh dill with the leaves removed
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Ingredients for the mashed potato topping
1.25kg peeled potatoes
75g butter
75ml double cream
150g grated mature cheddar cheese
Method
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6.
STEP 2: Get a large saucepan and pour the milk in before adding the chopped onion and bay leaves. Season with the salt and pepper before adding the fish fillets and bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook for two minutes on a low head before setting it aside and leaving it to stand for five minutes. Use a colander to drain the fish into a bowl and pour the liquid into a jug.
STEP 3: Start making the topping by chopping the potatoes into even pieces and boiling them in simmering water for 15 minutes until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and then add them back to the pan with the double cream, butter and three quarters of the grated cheese. Mash the potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste.
STEP 4: Boil the eggs in water for nine minutes before draining in a colander under water for between one and two minutes. Add the eggs to a bowl of very cold water and put to the side.
STEP 5: Melt 75g of butter in a saucepan before stirring in the plain flour. Gradually add the milk mixture from when you cooked the fish and keep stirring it over a medium head until it thickens and is nice and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
STEP 6: Take the pan off the heat and add the fronds of dill. Peel the boiled eggs and cut them into halves.
STEP 7: Add a third of the sauce to a large ovenproof dish and then add half the fish fillets, breaking them up into chunks and getting rid of any skin, onion and bay leaves. Put half the eggs in a layer on top of the fish before adding another third of the sauce. Continue adding layers until you have used up your fish, eggs and sauce.
STEP 8: Add the mashed potato mixture to the top, adding it to the edges first before working your way to the centre of the dish. Use a fork to add texture to the mash and then sprinkle the rest of your grated cheese on top. Bake the fish pie for around 45 minutes or until the top is golden brown.