Creamy Fish Pie (Print version)

Tender fish in creamy sauce topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and baked until golden.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fish Filling

01 - 14 oz white fish fillets (e.g., cod, haddock), skinless and boneless
02 - 7 oz smoked fish fillets (e.g., smoked haddock), skinless and boneless
03 - 5 oz cooked, peeled prawns (optional)
04 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
05 - 1 bay leaf
06 - 1 small onion, halved
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
08 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
09 - 2/3 cup frozen peas
10 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Mashed Potato Topping

13 - 2 lb floury potatoes (e.g., Maris Piper), peeled and chopped
14 - 1/4 cup whole milk
15 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
16 - Salt and white pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (200°C, 180°C fan).
02 - Place fish fillets in a large pan with milk, bay leaf, and onion. Gently simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until fish is just cooked. Remove fish with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the poaching milk, discarding bay leaf and onion.
03 - Boil potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with milk and butter, then season with salt and white pepper.
04 - Melt butter in a clean saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved poaching milk until smooth and thickened.
05 - Stir in mustard, peas, parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Fold in poached fish broken into large chunks and cooked prawns if using.
06 - Spoon fish mixture into a baking dish and spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top, fluffing the surface with a fork.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden and filling is bubbling.
08 - Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses one pan to poach the fish and make the sauce, which means less washing up and more flavor locked in.
  • The mashed potato topping gets crispy on the edges and stays creamy underneath, giving you two textures in every bite.
  • You can stretch it with extra veg or swap the fish based on whats fresh, and it still tastes like home.
02 -
  • Do not let the poaching milk boil hard or the fish will toughen and the milk may curdle, keep it at a gentle simmer and watch it closely.
  • Drain your potatoes thoroughly and let them steam dry for a minute before mashing, because watery mash will slide right off the pie and never crisp up properly.
  • Season the sauce generously before adding the fish, because once its all mixed together its harder to adjust and you want every bite to sing.
03 -
  • Add a handful of grated mature cheddar to the mashed potato topping before baking for a cheesy crust that crisps up even more beautifully.
  • If your sauce feels too thick, whisk in a splash of extra milk, but if its too thin, simmer it for another minute or two before adding the fish.
  • Use a shallow wide baking dish rather than a deep narrow one, so you get more of that golden crispy topping in every serving.

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