North Wales Fish Pie with Leeks
A comforting coastal bake of tender smoked haddock and white fish in a velvety leek sauce, topped with golden, leek-flecked mashed potato.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Saucepan
- •Frying pan
- •Deep casserole dish
- •Potato masher
- •Colander
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 20 g
- carbs
- 48 g
- fibre
- 5 g
- protein
- 42 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until tender, then drain thoroughly.
- 2
Melt half the butter in a frying pan and cook two-thirds of the leeks over medium heat for 6 minutes until soft.
- 3
Mash the drained potatoes with 50ml of milk, half the remaining butter, and the softened leeks until smooth.
- 4
Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and cook gently for 1 minute.
- 5
Gradually whisk in the remaining milk to form a smooth sauce, then stir in the remaining raw leeks and mustard.
- 6
Simmer the sauce gently for 4 minutes until thickened, then stir in the chopped parsley, salt, and pepper.
- 7
Place the raw white fish and smoked haddock chunks into the base of a deep casserole dish.
- 8
Pour the hot leek sauce over the fish and gently fold together to coat the pieces evenly.
- 9
Spoon the leek mash over the fish, smoothing the top and roughing the surface with a fork.
- 10
Scatter the grated cheddar over the top and bake at 200°C for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbling and golden.
Chef's tips
Use undyed smoked haddock for a natural, delicate smoky flavour without artificial colouring. Let the baked pie stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and spoons out cleanly.
Ingredient substitutions
- mature Welsh cheddar cheese → Caerphilly cheese or mature English cheddar
- smoked haddock → smoked cod or smoked pollock fillets
Storage
Keep cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat covered with foil in an oven preheated to 180°C for 20 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Pre-cooking the fish before baking, which makes the delicate fillets dry and rubbery.
- •Using poorly drained potatoes, which produces a loose and watery mash topping.
Serving suggestions
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