Fish Pie
Quick answer
Fish pie is a staple of British home cooking, particularly during the colder months.
What makes this special
- Chunks of cod and smoked haddock are baked under a smooth, buttery mashed potato lid.
- Mashed potato lid seals the creamy fish sauce and they bake together
- Parsley and mustard suppress fishiness while adding flavor to the cream sauce
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cut the 700 g potatoes into even pieces and boil for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer slides in easily.
- 2 Warm a pan over medium-low heat, add the chopped 120 g onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
- 3 Pour in the 350 ml milk a little at a time, whisking constantly so the roux loosens without lumps.
Fish pie is a staple of British home cooking, particularly during the colder months. Chunks of cod, salmon, and smoked haddock are folded into a cream sauce made with milk, butter, parsley, and a touch of English mustard, then topped with a thick layer of mashed potatoes and baked until the surface turns golden and slightly crisp. The combination of fresh and smoked fish creates layers of flavor - the cod contributes clean, mild sweetness, the salmon adds richness, and the smoked haddock provides a saline, smoky depth that permeates the sauce. Peeled prawns and halved boiled eggs are common additions that make the filling more substantial. In the oven, the sauce bubbles up around the edges of the potato crust, and the first scoop through the golden top reveals the creamy seafood filling beneath. It is a complete meal requiring nothing more than a side of steamed greens.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Cut the 700 g potatoes into even pieces and boil for 15-20 minutes, until a skewer slides in easily.
Drain well, let steam escape, then mash with some butter and milk until smooth but not runny.
- 2Control
Warm a pan over medium-low heat, add the chopped 120 g onion, and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Add the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons flour, stirring for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour smell.
- 3Control
Pour in the 350 ml milk a little at a time, whisking constantly so the roux loosens without lumps.
When the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, reduce the heat to low to prevent scorching.
- 4Control
Add the 500 g white fish in bite-size chunks, then add the 80 g peas.
Cook gently over low heat for only 3 minutes, folding carefully so the fish starts to turn opaque but keeps its shape.
- 5Control
Spread the filling evenly in a baking dish and cover it with the mashed potato all the way to the edges.
Drag a fork over the surface to make ridges, creating spots where the 60 g cheddar can cling and brown.
- 6Heat
Scatter the cheddar over the top and bake in a preheated 200 C oven for about 20 minutes.
When the edges bubble and the potato top is golden, rest for 5 minutes so each scoop holds together.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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