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classic fish pie
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5 from 1 vote

Classic Fish Pie

The ultimate classic fish pie! There's perfectly cooked fish, a super creamy sauce & a crispy, cheesy mashed potato topping.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British, English
Servings: 6 People
Author: Ben Racey

Equipment

  • Large Baking Tray
  • Potato Ricer
  • Saucepans
  • Microplane
  • Cheese Grater
  • Slotted Spoon

Ingredients

Poached Fish

  • 600 g Whole Milk
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 6 Sprigs Thyme
  • 200 g Salmon
  • 200 g Smoked Haddock
  • 200 g Cod

Filling

  • 50 g Unsalted Butter
  • 1 Small White Onion Finely Diced
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Grated
  • 30 g Plain Flour
  • 200 g Double Cream
  • 1½ tsp Dijon Mustard
  • ½ Lemon Zest & Juice
  • 1 tbsp Finely Chopped Parsley
  • 150 g King Prawns Cooked & Peeled - See Notes
  • 100 g Frozen Peas Optional
  • 4 Hard Boiled Eggs Optional - See Notes

Mash Topping

  • 1½ kg Maris Piper Potatoes Washed & Left Unpeeled
  • 100 g Double Cream
  • 50 g Unsalted Butter
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 50 g Mature Cheddar Grated
  • 50 g Red Leicester Grated
  • 1 tbsp Panko Breadcrumbs Optional

Instructions

  • Preheat an oven to 200°c/180°c fan (392°f/356°f).
  • First we need to start cooking the potatoes for the mash topping. To do this place the potatoes onto a baking tray, prick them all over with a fork then drizzle lightly with vegetable oil. Bake in the preheated oven, until tender. This will take 45 minutes - 1½ hours, depending on the size of your potatoes.
    Once cooked, leave the potatoes to cool for 15-20 minutes before scooping out the flesh.
    The best way to check that the potatoes are cooked is to poke each one with a small, sharp knife. If the knife slides in without any resistance, the potato is cooked.

Poaching The Fish

  • Once the potatoes are in the oven, it's time to make the filling. To start, place the milk, bay leaf & thyme into a medium saucepan. Season with salt & pepper then place over a low heat, to get steaming hot (don't let it boil).
  • Whilst the milk is warming up, cut the fish into 1" chunks, discarding any skin, bones or fat/gristle.
  • When the milk is steaming hot, add in all the fish then poach gently until just cooked. This will take around 5 minutes.
  • Next, using a slotted spoon, lift the fish out of the milk & transfer to a 10" square oven dish. Pour the milk into a jug, through a sieve.

Filling

  • Place the butter into a medium sized saucepan, set over a medium heat then leave to melt.
  • Add in the diced onion, season with salt then cook until soft, stirring regularly. This will take around 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the grated garlic, cook for a minute then stir in the flour. Cook out for another minute.
  • Next, pour in ⅓ of the poaching milk then cook until thick, stirring constantly. This will take around 2 minutes over a medium heat.
  • Pour in another third of milk, cook until thickened again then add in the rest of the milk.
  • Continue cooking the sauce over a low heat until it's thick & no longer tastes like flour. This will take roughly 5-10 minutes.
  • Stir in the double cream & mustard then cook the sauce out for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat then stir in the lemon (zest & juice) and the parsley. Season with salt & pepper, to taste.
  • Next, nestle the prawns amongst the poached fish then scatter over the frozen peas. If you're adding in boiled eggs, peel them, cut into quarters then place on top of the pie filling.

Mash Topping

  • Once the potatoes are cooked & cool enough to handle, cut them in half, scoop out the flesh with a spoon then mash into a bowl using a potato ricer (or masher).
  • Add in the cream, butter, mustard & egg yolk. Season with salt & pepper then stir to combine/melt the butter.

Assembly & Baking

  • To assemble, pour the sauce all over the fish then spoon the mash on top. Using a fork, spread the mash all over the filling, roughing the top up as you do so.
  • Sprinkle both the grated cheeses over the pie then top with the panko breadcrumbs (if you're using them).
  • Place the pie onto a baking tray then cook in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the top is crispy & golden and the filling is piping hot (the temperature of the filling should be at least 75°c/167°f. A digital food probe comes in handy here).
  • Let the fish pie sit for 5 minutes then serve.

Notes

1. Cooking In An Aga - To cook the potatoes, place them onto the bottom set of runners in the roasting oven. Cook the pie in the roasting oven as well but on the runners above.
2. Fish - To make a classic fish pie, we're using a mix of salmon, cod & smoked haddock. Feel free to use just one or two types of fish if you'd prefer. Some supermarkets sell a fish pie mix, with is a handy option!
If you're adding in prawns, they should be peeled & cooked (you can buy these from the supermarket). If you're using raw ones, poach them in the milk until just cooked (after the fish has been removed).
3. Hard Boiled Eggs - To hard boil eggs, cook them at a rolling boil for 10 minutes then refresh under cold water before peeling & cutting into quarters. I'd recommend adding in 4 boiled eggs for a traditional fish pie.
4. Potatoes - I'd recommend using Maris Piper potatoes for the mash topping. If you can't get any, Russet or King Edward potatoes are some good alternatives.
5. Sauce Thickness - The sauce will thin out slightly as the pie bakes so it needs to be made fairly thick on the stove. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Cooking The Pie - The pie filling needs to be piping hot before serving/once baked. The best way to check this is with a temperature probe. As long as the pie's internal temperature is above 75°c/167°f, you're good to go!
7. Making In Advance - Once assembled, the pie can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking. You'll need to add an extra 5-10 minutes onto the cooking time if baking straight from the fridge.
8. Double Cream - If you haven't got any double cream, you can use milk for the sauce & mash. You most likely won't need as much milk though, so add it into both gradually.