Stargazy Pie
A historic Cornish pie filled with pilchards, bacon, and hard-boiled eggs, topped with golden pastry through which whole fish gaze skyward.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •pie dish
- •frying pan
- •rolling pin
- •pastry brush
- •chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 32 g
- carbs
- 36 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your fan oven to 180°C (200°C conventional/gas mark 6).
- 2
Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat on the hob.
- 3
Add the diced bacon and chopped onion, frying for 8 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- 4
Pour in the cider and simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
- 5
Stir in the double cream, chopped parsley, and lemon zest, then remove from the heat.
- 6
Season the sauce with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- 7
Spoon the bacon mixture into a 24 cm pie dish and arrange the quartered boiled eggs on top.
- 8
Lay the pilchards on the filling with heads resting against the rim pointing upwards.
- 9
Roll out your shortcrust pastry and make small incisions to allow the heads and tails to poke through.
- 10
Drape the pastry over the pie dish, carefully threading through the fish heads and tails.
- 11
Crimp (fold and pinch the pastry edge into a rope) along the rim to seal tightly.
- 12
Brush the pastry with beaten egg and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
Chef's tips
Ensure the fish are completely dry before placing them into the pie so excess moisture does not make the pastry soggy. Angling the heads upwards allows natural fish oils to trickle back down into the pie filling during baking.
Ingredient substitutions
- fresh pilchards → fresh whole sardines or small whole herrings
- dry Cornish cider → dry white wine or fish stock
Storage
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a preheated oven at 170°C fan for 15 minutes until piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Cutting off the fish heads, which prevents the signature look and natural basting
- •Failing to seal the pastry edges, allowing the rich creamy sauce to boil over
- •Using un-gutted whole fish, which imparts bitterness to the filling
Serving suggestions
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