Traditional Eel Pie
Tender pieces of eel baked with fresh parsley, lemon, and spiced stock under a crisp, golden shortcrust pastry crust.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •22cm ceramic pie dish
- •Saucepan
- •Whisk
- •Rolling pin
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 32 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the fan oven to 180°C and lightly grease a 22cm pie dish with butter.
- 2
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat on the hob.
- 3
Stir in the plain flour and cook for one minute to make a smooth paste.
- 4
Gradually whisk in the warm fish stock until smooth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- 5
Stir in the chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, ground mace, salt, and pepper.
- 6
Arrange the prepared eel pieces evenly across the bottom of the pie dish.
- 7
Pour the warm herb sauce evenly over the eel pieces.
- 8
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to roughly 4mm thickness.
- 9
Lay the pastry over the pie dish, trim the overhang, and crimp (pinch the edges) securely.
- 10
Cut a small steam vent in the centre and brush the pastry with beaten egg.
- 11
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling bubbles.
Chef's tips
Ask your fishmonger to skin and bone the eel to save time. If fresh river eel is unavailable, conger eel provides a firmer, traditional alternative that holds up well during baking.
Ingredient substitutions
- freshwater eel → conger eel or firm white fish such as cod
- ground mace → ground nutmeg
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat in a fan oven at 170°C for 15 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Forgetting to cut a steam vent in the pastry lid, which makes the crust soggy.
- •Over-boiling the sauce before baking, making it too thick to cook the fish evenly.
Serving suggestions
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