Fish pie - in four steps
See this recipe step by step

Fish pie - in four steps

Delicious and easy - a fish pie anyone can make. You'll learn how to poach fish and make a white sauce too

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

Freeze without eggs only

Method

  1. Poach the fish. Put the fish in the frying pan and pour over 500ml of the milk. Stud each onion quarter with a clove, then add to the milk, with the bay leaves. Bring the milk just to the boil - you will see a few small bubbles. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 mins. Lift the fish onto a plate and strain the milk into a jug to cool. Flake the fish into large pieces in the baking dish.
  2. Hard-boil the eggs. Bring a small pan of water to a gentle boil, then carefully lower the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Bring the water back to a gentle boil, with just a couple of bubbles rising to the surface. Set the timer for 8 mins, cook, then drain and cool in a bowl of cold water. Peel, slice into quarters and arrange on top of the fish, then scatter over the chopped parsley.
  3. Make the sauce. Melt half the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 min over moderate heat. Take off the heat, pour in a little of the cold poaching milk, then stir until blended. Continue to add the milk gradually, mixing well until you have a smooth sauce. Return to the heat, bringto the boil and cook for 5 mins, stirring continually, until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, then pour over the fish.
  4. Assemble and bake. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 20 mins. Drain, season and mash with the remaining butter and milk. Use to top the pie, starting at the edge of the dish and working your way in - push the mash right to the edges to seal. Fluff the top with a fork, sprinkle with cheese, then bake for 30 mins. Make up to a day ahead, chill, then bake for 40 mins.
Try

Different flavours

Seafood: Add 200g raw peeled king prawns to the baking dish along with the poached fish. Salmon & dill: Replace the smoked haddock with 400g skinless salmon fillets, and use dill instead of the parsley. Fish & vegetable: Add 100g each frozen peas and sweetcorn to the baking dish before pouring over the sauce

Per serving

824 kcalories, protein 60g, carbohydrate 61g, fat 40 g, saturated fat 22g, fibre 4g, sugar 10g, salt 3.12 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2007.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 101-120

  • Binder photo messyjessie86

    03 June 2010

    messyjessie86 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    So indulgent and creamy - we polished off the lot! I like the addition of addition of boiled eggs I think it makes the dish a 'traditional' fish pie. I used smoked haddock and a fish pie mix. Will definitely be making again. Next time I might make a double batch for freezing, omitting the eggs as they don't freeze.

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  • Binder photo Rachel'smum

    10 June 2010

    Rachel'smum commented on this recipe

    I haven't followed this paricular recipe but wanted to pass on a couple of time saving tips! I never poach the fish, the time needed to brown the top is plenty to cook the fish through. Also when making the white sauce try cornfour for a lower fat (and wheat free) alternative. Approximately a tablespoon (15g) of cornflour for every 150ml of milk - semi- or skimmed works fine. Heat the milk in a saucepan while blending the cornflour with a little of the milk, add to the warm milk and beat until it comes up to the boil and thickens. In the years I have been doing this the sauce has never split. x

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  • Binder photo Alex

    13 June 2010

    Alex rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo little_lady

    19 July 2010

    little_lady rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is one of the easiest fish pie recipes to follow and was actually my first time at making it. I made this using salmon, river cobbler and king prawns. Like most people I also left off the eggs. A quick tip - buying fish from the counter can be cheaper than the pre-packed, and what is even cheaper is going later in the evening or during a Sunday when the fish becomes reduced. I will be making this again as there were no complaints or empty plates!

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  • Binder photo Champagnechaz

    27 July 2010

    Champagnechaz rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I like to add a splash of Fish and Oyster Sauce to the milk to enhance the flavour.

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  • Binder photo enza79

    05 August 2010

    enza79 commented on this recipe

    I tried this recipe for the first time today and it came out really well, it was really easy to do and I was able to prepare it in the morning and then leave it in the fridge while I went about my day, then just had to pop it in the oven in the evening and serve up. Went down a storm and will definately be cooking this again.

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  • Binder photo Treefairy

    05 August 2010

    Treefairy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I used a mixture of pollock and smoked haddock and left the eggs well and truly in. It was absolutely lovely. Very economical, 4 generous servings. Lovely.

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  • Binder photo Kirsten

    09 August 2010

    Kirsten rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Hubby and I really enjoyed this, we used haddock, smoked cod and prawns. We didn't use the eggs and I'm glad we didn't.

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  • Binder photo busymama

    16 August 2010

    busymama rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    Not great

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  • Binder photo Paul

    19 August 2010

    Paul rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Try this variation for delicious fish lasagne! Follow steps 1 to 3 keeping the fish aside at the end of 3: (4). Pour a quarter of sauce into rectangular lasagne dish then cover with lasagne sheets. Cover with fish and eggs then one quarter of sauce. Add further layer of lasagne sheets. Add a layer of peas (defrosted) and a layer of prawns then one quarter of sauce. Add a further lasagne layer, cover with remaining sauce and grate the cheese over the top. Cook in oven at 180 degrees C until golden brown (30-45 minutes). It's as nice as the pie (which is magnificent!). Yummie.

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  • Binder photo jayyyx

    27 August 2010

    jayyyx commented on this recipe

    it doesn't say when to put the parsley in, does anyone know when?

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  • Binder photo tina

    29 August 2010

    tina commented on this recipe

    I added the eggs, prawns, peas and sweet corn and also used red potatoes. Yummy. My fiance and I almost finish the whole dish my ourselves You must also try Gordons Ramsey's chocalate fondant which we had for desert. Amazing food I couldnt believe I cooked it.

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  • Binder photo razkidd

    13 September 2010

    razkidd rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Chloe

    17 September 2010

    Chloe rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I made this today and it was tasty. I adapted quite a lot to what I had in the house, which was frozen Coley filets, king prawns and slightly soft boiled eggs. I chopped the eggs quite small instead of quartering because I didn't fancy such large chunks of egg. I was dubious about adding egg at all but it is a cheap way of adding protein and bulking up the dish. I also used coriander because it was what I had in the fridge (and I prefer it). This is a tasty dish and moreish...shame it has so many calories!

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  • Binder photo Sue Sid

    17 September 2010

    Sue Sid commented on this recipe

    This was lovely and not too many ingredients. I added some salmon and prawns just to give it more colour and the fresh parsley was an excellent touch. I'll definitely be making it again.

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  • Binder photo Sue Sid

    17 September 2010

    Sue Sid rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Yummymummy

    27 September 2010

    Yummymummy rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for the 1st time today. Excellent. Did not incl eggs and had no parsley. I used smoked cod and salmon pieces. Served with green beans and baby sweetcorn. Surprised I made the sauce with no probs. Hearty dinner.

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  • Binder photo Mel1983

    08 October 2010

    Mel1983 rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Taste divine and easy to make - although had real issues in getting my sauce non lumpy! left out the eggs and added prawns - and it had my dubious non-fish loving friend asking for seconds!

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  • Binder photo LindaG01

    13 October 2010

    LindaG01 commented on this recipe

    This is the most wonderful fish recipe I have ever come across. I loved it and I don't usually like fish at all, I'm just trying to be more healthy. I want to feed it to everyone I know now. I did leave in the eggs and I thought it was one of the best things I have ever tasted in my life. I'm stunned to find myself registering on this site to talk about fish!

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  • Binder photo fruitandnut

    28 October 2010

    fruitandnut commented on this recipe

    Does anyone know if you can freeze this ?

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 mins

Cook time

Cook 30 mins

Freezable

Freeze without eggs only

Easy to make ahead

Ingredients

  • 400g skinless white fish fillet
  • 400g skinless smoked haddock fillet
  • 600ml full-fat milk
  • 1 small onion , quartered
  • 4 cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 eggs
  • small bunch parsley , leaves only, chopped
  • 100g butter
  • 50g plain flour
  • pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1kg floury potato , peeled and cut into even-sized chunks
  • 50g cheddar , grated
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Per serving

824 kcalories, protein 60g, carbohydrate 61g, fat 40 g, saturated fat 22g, fibre 4g, sugar 10g, salt 3.12 g

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