FISH PIE
Fish pie is a classic! This version features two types of fish in a luscious sauce, topped with creamy potato and kumara mash.
There are lots of variations you can try to suit your tastes. Use all potato or all kumara for the topping; omit the eggs; replace the fish with chicken and bacon; add some prawns to make it more gourmet; swap the beans for another veggie. The options are endless!
Adding cream cheese to the sauce helps to make it extra silky smooth and adds a hint of cheesy flavour.
Let me know what you think!
FISH PIE
Fish pie is a classic! This version features two types of fish in a luscious sauce, topped with creamy potato and kumara mash. Check out the recipe notes for different variations you can try.
Ingredients
TOPPING
- 400 g orange kumara (14oz)
- 400 g potatoes, i.e. Agria (14oz)
- 4 eggs
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 2 Tbsp milk
PIE FILLING
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 3 Tbsp plain flour
- 2 1/3 cups milk (580ml)
- 1/2 cup lite cream cheese (125g)
- 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 300 g white fish fillets (10.6oz)
- 200 g smoked fish (7oz)
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (45g)
TO SERVE
- 250 g green beans (8.8oz)
Instructions
PREPARE TOPPING
Peel potatoes and kumara, cut into 2-3cm / 1in pieces and rinse. Place in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil then set the timer for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, add whole eggs in their shells and cook for a further 8 minutes.
PREPARE PIE FILLING
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF) fan bake. Finely dice celery and carrot; crush garlic. Melt butter in a large non-stick pot. Add celery, carrot, garlic and lemon zest and cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk until you have a smooth white sauce. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until sauce has thickened a little. Stir in cream cheese, mustard, oregano and dill. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
Cut fresh fish into 2cm / 0.8in pieces and flake the smoked fish. Spread half the sauce over the bottom of a 25cm / 10in square oven-safe dish. Scatter fish over the top, then add the remaining sauce.
ADD TOPPING
Remove eggs from saucepan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl of cold water. Drain potatoes well, add butter and milk and mash until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Carefully peel eggs and cut into quarters.
Press eggs into the pie, then dollop the mashed potato on top. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.
SERVE
While pie cooks, trim ends off beans. Remove pie from oven and let sit for 2 minutes. Microwave beans for 2 minutes, until tender. Serve pie with beans.
Recipe Notes
WINE MATCH: A lightly oaked Chardonnay.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use plain gluten-free flour.
INGREDIENT SWAPS / NOTES: Orange kumara could be swapped for red kumara. For a more gourmet option, add a few shelled raw prawns to the pie before baking. If you don’t like fish, swap the fresh fish for boneless, skinless chicken thighs and the smoked fish for bacon - pan fry first to brown all over. Feel free to omit the eggs if you don’t like them.
STORING AND REHEATING: Store individual portions in containers in the fridge and reheat in the microwave.
