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 41-60

  • Binder photo Boris

    23 January 2009

    Boris rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    I tried this as my parner wants to try and eat more fish so I thought it would be a good winter warmer and I found it good value for money and simple to make. Would recomend it to anyone trying things for the first time. Left out the egg by peoples recomendation though, but could use cheaper fish as an alternative to cod and salmon.

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  • Binder photo MissTasha

    29 January 2009

    MissTasha commented on this recipe

    I made this last night for my boyfriend and I. I'm not a fish lover, and I hate eggs. I left the eggs out, but made the rest as specified. I absolutely loved it! My boyfriend was greatful for something different for once and he really liked it too!

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  • Binder photo MissTasha

    29 January 2009

    MissTasha rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Sweet P

    03 February 2009

    Sweet P rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I made this last night for the second time in a about a month. The first time I made it with smoked coley and cod with sweetcorn. Absolutely lovely. The 2nd time I used a few prawns and some salmon as well - husband preferred more smoked fish, he likes the stronger flavour. I have passed this recipe on, its a lovely quick and easy dish. I also left out the eggs based on previous recommendations and hubby doesn't like eggs.

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  • Binder photo Very Keen Student Cook!

    05 February 2009

    Very Keen Student Cook! rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    An absolute winner- with this dish you can't go wrong!!!! The perfect make ahead dish for dinner parties... I just slotted it in the oven for an hour before guests arrived, and served with salad-easy peasy!!! And it went down a treat!!!

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  • Binder photo mildred

    05 February 2009

    mildred commented on this recipe

    Missed out the eggs and had to mix semi-skimmed milk with a bit of single cream as didn't have full fat milk! Tasted ok though. Would recomend the cream but not to poach the fish in!

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  • Binder photo CiCi Le Frou

    11 February 2009

    CiCi Le Frou rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I left out the prawns but added some mushrooms and peas with salmon and smoked haddock. Used a cheddar and mozarella topping. Served with chunky carrott batons. Practically had to beat my family off the leftovers which we will have for supper tonight. Yum!!

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  • Binder photo Lou

    13 February 2009

    Lou rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Great fish pie - I love fish & rarely cook it but this was so easy I will defo make again. The eggs were lovely in the pie & I used semi-skimmed milk for the white suace and it worked just as well the obly thing was that it seemed a little thicker than expected so I added a splash of white wine to it which made it thinner & added a tad more flavour too!

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  • Binder photo Tarryho

    14 February 2009

    Tarryho rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this for my family, including my dad who isn't really a lover of fish, everyone, especially my dad loved it. After reading everyone's comments Re: eggs, I halved the quantity but will make it with the full quantity next time.

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  • Binder photo TwoSheds

    18 February 2009

    TwoSheds rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Tastes good, I used Salmon, Haddock and Prawns. It's not really 4-step as you need to start the potatoes after step 2, otherwise you're waiting around for the mash.

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  • Binder photo roberto` tarantene`

    23 February 2009

    roberto` tarantene` commented on this recipe

    I make this with adding prawns . Also i love the egg in too- makes it for me!!! for people on a tight buget or for quickness use special offer packs of frozen butterfish, on offer most of the time in supermarkets. And use packet mash potato to save time!! dont forget to grate cheese on top!!

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  • Binder photo linserella

    28 February 2009

    linserella rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Awesome, this is what THE perfect fish pie tastes like....!

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  • Binder photo Ronnie

    10 April 2009

    Ronnie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    If you really don't like hard boiled eggs in this dish try Jamie Oliver's version, he crack raw eggs in over the fish, delicious, also has a bed of spinach. Great recipe, made if heaps of times, for four or adjust for two portions.

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  • Binder photo Charlie

    13 April 2009

    Charlie rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I love this recipe and have recommended it to everyone! I have never made anything by myself before but found this recipe easy to follow. Based on the the reviews I also left out the eggs and it tasted great. I will definitely be using this recipe again and again.

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  • Binder photo Rose

    25 April 2009

    Rose commented on this recipe

    Delicious and easy to make. I left eggs out too though. Poor eggs!

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  • Binder photo crocker04

    05 May 2009

    crocker04 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i have made this dish with and without egg in it, and we think it is really nice with the egg in it. even my son tried it, so its got to be good.

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  • Binder photo angela

    24 May 2009

    angela rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    This is so easy...I leave out the herbs and seasoning and my 1 year old loves it. Makes me feels better coz he normally gets jars of baby food as I am so rubbish at cooking!

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  • Binder photo isica1903

    18 June 2009

    isica1903 rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo DEE DEE

    18 July 2009

    DEE DEE rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Absolutely delicious and easy to make - :)

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  • Binder photo vickifairbang

    23 August 2009

    vickifairbang rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    i made this for fridays tea, it was wonderful. i did it with eggs and glad i did, they were really tasty with all the other ingredients. i added crayfish tails, only because my daughter loves them, and i cheated by using frozen mash!!!!! will be making again for sure.

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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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