The Easter eggs-tra long weekend – 15-18 April – is fast approaching, and we’ve got Easter treats coming at you all week! Try out this fish pie recipe from Sophie Hansen for a Good Friday feast, or simply enjoy it any time surrounded by your favourite people.
Fish pie
Serves 6-8
1 leek
2 cups (500ml) full-cream milk
400g ling or other firm white fish, pin-boned
300g salmon or trout, pin-boned
1 1/2 Tbsp (30g) butter
1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
400g hot-smoked trout or salmon
1 quantity sour cream pastry (see below for recipe)
4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
1/2 cup (50g) flaked almonds, toasted
About 1 cup soft herbs, finely chopped (I use a mixture of parsley, dill and sorrel)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 egg
2 Tbsp single (pure) cream
Wash the leek well, then finely chop the white and green parts. Put the green part in a deep-sided frying pan with the milk and a good grinding of black pepper. Heat until just at boiling point. Add the ling and salmon, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
Check the fish is just cooked through, then transfer it to a plate.
Strain the milk, discarding the leek. Wipe out the pan and place it over medium–high heat. Add the butter and the white part of the leek and cook for a few minutes or until the leek has softened. Add the flour and cook for a minute or so, stirring well to make a thick paste. Pour in a little of the warm milk and stir until the mixture thickens. Gradually add the remaining milk and cook, stirring, until you have a thick sauce.
Break up the ling, salmon and the smoked trout and gently fold it into the sauce. Season well with salt and pepper and pop it into the fridge to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the pastry according to the recipe (see below), removing a third of the pastry and wrapping it separately. Chill both wrapped pastry portions for 30 minutes.
Roll out the larger pastry portion on a lightly floured surface into a large oval, about 3mm thick. Gently fold the chopped egg, flaked almonds, herbs and lemon zest into the fish mixture. Spread the mixture over the pastry, leaving a 3cm border.
Roll out the remaining pastry into a smaller oval and drape it over the top of the filling. Crimp the pastry edges together so you have a dome-shaped pie. Re-roll any pastry trimmings and cut out shapes to decorate the top of your pie. Pop the pie into the fridge for 30 minutes (or up to a few hours until you’re ready to cook it).
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Whisk the egg and cream together, brush it over the pie and sprinkle the pie with a little sea salt. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve the pie hot, warm or at room temperature. Delicious!
Sour cream pastry
2/3 cup (160g) sour cream
1 cup (250g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 cups (300g) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp sea salt
Put the sour cream, butter, flour and salt in a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until just combined. Turn the pastry out onto a work surface and gently bring it together into a disc. Wrap the pastry and pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes.
For more egg-cellent Easter inspiration:
