logo left

Mum's Fish Pie

logo right
nuttys kitchen logo

Okay! So fish is way more expensive to the point of unaffordable these days. Tiny little bits from a supermarket are not what my mum used. But I am going to recreate the classic she served in her pub. Using a few tricks to bulk the fish out. Butter, veg and mashed potatoes. She literally used softened onions, white sauce, lots of cod — huge chunks of fish, a basic white sauce and a few peas and parsley. So how do we do that nowadays without buying a ready meal, which admittedly are cheaper? But, contain no real fish!! Difficult, Yup ya have no idea! But this is my answer to create Mum's Fish Pie on a budget. I managed to get 4 pieces of frozen Atlantic wild cod for less than four quid (£4) so that makes it reasonable if I can make it serve four.

Click the Method tab below to see a step by step guide on how to make Mum's Fish Pie along with some pictures for reference.

fish pie baked

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

  • 50g & more of salted butter*
  • 1 white onion very finely diced
  • 2 sticks celery very finely diced
  • 1 white leek very finely diced
  • 2 veg stock cubes
  • 2 handfuls of finely chopped fresh parsley
  • 175g frozen peas & sweetcorn
  • 50 gram salted butter
  • 50 gram plain flour
  • 1/2 pint milk
  • 1 x 400g pack of supermarket frozen cod or any white fish you can afford
  • Potatoes to mash for your potato pie

*You cannot have too much butter!

for the mash

  • 850g peeled med' sized potatoes, quartered
  • 1 Tblsp Salt
  • 50g (at least!) salted Butter*
  • 80ml milk

* More butter please!

method

All the veg' needs to be cut to a very fine dice so that you never really know they're there in the final dish. Now, all we are after is a rich base sauce and if we make that on the stove top in a pan, it's going to take ages and ages :-( but, I want this to be something that you can put together a little more quickly. So, with that thought, I have my trusty microwave to hand!

One important note here, seasoning is key, so taste everything as you go. And don't forget to season your fish with a good pinch of salt and pepper, it's really gonna need it to achieve that classic taste.

So, let's get our ingredients ready!

ingredients
ingredients
  1. Put your potatoes on to boil for the mash*
  2. Let them boil for 20 mins until soft
  3. Mash them so they are buttery & creamy when done
  4. Set aside with a lid on to keep hot

*Season the water well with 1 Tblsp salt

Meanwhile, while the potatoes are cooking:-

To prepare the fish (from frozen) place on baking paper on top of tin foil and wrap it up to make a parcel so that it steams in its own juices.

  1. Place fish on foil & paper
  2. Season well with salt & pepper
place fish on paper & foil
fish on paper
  1. Wrap the fish up into a parcel
wrap into a parcel
fish wrapped in foil
  1. Place the fish parcel in the oven for 20 - 25 mins*

*Check the packet for exact cooking times. Set the oven to 180c or whatever it says on the packet. We want the fish to be part-cooked but completely thawed as we are going to finish it completely in the oven.

  1. Remove from the oven when done

While the fish & potatoes are cooking:-

  1. Finely dice the onion, celery & leek
  2. Put them into an oven-proof dish
  3. Add the butter to the dish
  4. Pop into the microwave and zap on full power for 1 min
  5. Give the veg' a good stir
  6. Zap on full power again for 1 min
  7. Stir again & check they are completely softened.
zap the veg' for a min' & stir
leeks softend 01
zap them for another min'
leeks softend 02
  1. Add flour, another 50g butter & stock cubes
  2. Season well with salt & pepper
  3. Stir well
  4. Add milk, and stir well
  5. Zap for a min' in the microwave
  6. Give everything a stir
  7. Pop back in the microwave for another min'
make the base sauce
leeks in sauce 01
  1. Check the seasoning & adjust if required
  2. Finely chop the parsley*

*Note: You can use the stalks for the sauce too!

chop the parsley
parsley chopped 01
add parsley
parsley added to sauce
  1. Add the parsley & stir well
stir well
parsley sauce
  1. Add peas & sweetcorn
  2. Stir well
  3. Pop back in the microwave on full power for a min'
add peas & sweetcorn
peas sweetcorn in sauce
  1. Remove fish from oven & check it is completely thawed
  2. Break the fish into pieces over the base sauce
  3. Stir in well
break the fish up onto the sauce
fish added to sauce
mix the fish into the sauce
fish pie mix
  1. Starting from the outside of the dish
  2. Add the mashed potatoes to the top of the sauce
cover with mash potatoes
potato topping
  1. Smooth it all out nicely* :-)
  2. Pop it in the hot oven for 25 mins until browned & hot
  3. Check the center is piping hot before serving

*Sooth it out, but, use a fork to make pretty patterns with raised ridges that will brown lovely in the oven.

mum's fish pie just baked
fish pie baked 01
serve while piping hot
fish pie in dish 01

Mum's fish pie, always a family favourite!