Teesside Fish Pie
Flaky North Sea cod and smoked haddock folded through a rich parsley sauce and baked beneath golden, buttery mashed potato.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 510 kcal
Equipment
- •large saucepan
- •potato masher
- •colander
- •whisk
- •2-litre casserole dish
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- fat
- 21 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 38 g
- calories
- 510 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the potato chunks in salted water for 15 minutes until tender, then drain thoroughly in a colander.
- 2
Mash the warm potatoes with 25 g butter, salt, and pepper until completely smooth, then set aside.
- 3
Place the cod, smoked haddock, and bay leaf into a saucepan and pour over the milk.
- 4
Simmer very gently over low heat for 4 minutes until the fish is just opaque, then strain the milk into a jug.
- 5
Melt 50 g butter in a clean saucepan, stir in the plain flour, and cook for 1 minute to make a roux (thick paste).
- 6
Gradually whisk in the warm poaching milk and simmer for 3 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- 7
Stir the chopped parsley and white pepper into the sauce, then gently fold in the poached fish chunks.
- 8
Pour the fish filling into a 2-litre casserole dish and spread the mashed potato evenly over the top.
- 9
Ruffle the potato surface with a fork, sprinkle over the Cheddar cheese, and bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 25 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Chef's tips
Use undyed smoked haddock rather than bright yellow dyed fillets for the best natural smoky flavour. Ruffle the mashed potato deeply with a fork to create crispy ridges while baking in the oven.
Ingredient substitutions
- skinless cod fillets → skinless haddock or pollock fillets
- mature Cheddar cheese → Red Leicester cheese
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat thoroughly in a fan oven at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes until piping hot in the centre.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overcooking the fish during poaching, which causes it to break apart completely in the sauce.
- •Making the mash too wet, which makes it sink into the parsley sauce layer.
- •Skipping the milk straining step and losing the infused fish flavour for the sauce.
Serving suggestions
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