I’ve been wanting to upload a fish pie recipe for quite some time now. I went to test it, but after the success of my Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes, I thought there might just be another way of creating a fish pie (you see where we’re going here 😂). Follow me…
Fish Pie Filling
A classic fish pie filling is made up of 4 components:
Fish – boneless, skinless and diced into chunks. Sauce – typically a creamy sauce with a base of milk, cream or creme fraiche. Here we’re using a mix of milk and cream. Seasoning – salt and pepper, alongside nutmeg. Extra goodies – we’re going to add leek, alongside chives and parsley. Then we’re adding in a vegetable Oxo/bouillon cube for an extra boost of flavour.
To thicken the sauce we’ll be making a roux with butter and flour. It’s important the sauce is nice and thick; a watery filling will make the potatoes go soggy!
What kind of fish should I use?
I go for smoked haddock, cod and salmon. Other popular options for fish pie are king prawns and pollock. Some fishmongers/supermarkets will also sell ‘fish pie filling’ packages! I recommend using some sort of smoked fish as it adds loads of flavour to the filling. Process shots: fry leek (photo 1), stir in flour (photo 2), stir in milk and cream (photo 3), stir in herbs and seasoning (photo 4), add fish (photo 5), carefully fold in (photo 6).
Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
For the potatoes, you’ll want to use baking potatoes like Maris Pipers or Russets. They also need to be pretty big so you can stuff enough filling inside. Just coat them in oil and salt and bake until crispy, golden and fluffy, then slice off the top and scoop out the centre.
Fish Pie Topping
To mimic a classic fish pie topping, we’ll use the inside of the potato to make mashed potato. I like using butter and cream then going in with some cheddar and English mustard for a punch of flavour. From there, you can add the fish filling to the centre of the potatoes, plonk on the mash then bake! Process shots: coat potatoes in oil and salt (photo 1), bake (photo 2), slice off top (photo 3), scoop out centre (photo 4), add to bowl with mash fillings (photo 5), mash (photo 6).
Do I have to pre-cook the fish?
Nope! It cooks as the potatoes bake. Fish can easily overcook so definitely no need for pre-cooking.
How do I know when these are ready?
The mash on top will be golden and crisp, with the sauce bubbling around the edges. Timings will depend on the size of the fish pieces – it should be opaque, flaky and piping hot. You can peek under the mash if you want to check.
What types of fish should I avoid?
Any fish that tends to dry out easily or is very delicate/thin. Tuna springs to mind as a no-go.
Serving Fish Pie Baked Potatoes
I always like to finish with some extra chives! These are great as they are but veg is always welcome on the side i.e. green beans, peas, sweetcorn etc. Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for these fish pie baked potatoes shall we?!
How to make Fish Pie Baked Potatoes (Full Recipe & Video)
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