This is a very traditional fish pie, with boiled eggs and curly-leaf parsley with smoked and fresh fish. Depending on where you are, use the local smoked fish. In the UK I would use pollock and smoked haddock. Here in South Africa, angelfish and smoked snoek. As long as you use the freshest and best quality ingredients, all will be well. This is an excellent dish for those who eat fish on Good Friday. Once classic variant on the dish is to cook 150g (5 ½ oz) of spinach, drain then chop and incorporate into the filling mixture.
Prep time 130 minutes/Cook time 90 minutes/Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 onion, thickly sliced
4 cloves
1 fresh bay leaf
900ml (3 ¾ cups) whole milk
600ml (2 ½ cups) double cream
1 chilli, finely chopped (not traditional but I like it; optional)
900g (2lb) unskinned angelfish fillet (or Pollock)
450g (1lb) smoked snoek fillet (or undyed smoked haddock)
8 free-range eggs
100g (3½oz) butter
90g (2/3 + 1 tbsp) plain flour
large handful curly-leaf parsley, chopped
24 large cooked prawns
Freshly-grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground white pepper
For the topping:
2.5kg (5lb 8oz) floury potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edward, peeled and cut into chunks
100g (3½oz) butter
2 free-range egg yolks
200–300ml (3/4-1 ¼ cups) whole milk
Method:
Combine the thick-cut onion slices, cloves and bay leaf in a large pan with the milk, cream, fresh fish and smoked fish. Bring just to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift the fish out onto a plate and strain the cooking liquor into a jug.
Boil the eggs for 8 minutes, then drain and set aside to cool.
When the fish has cooled sufficiently so it can be handled, break it into large flakes, discarding the skin and bones (be careful with the snoek as it’s particularly bony, though the bones are large). Arrange the flaked fish in the base of a shallow 3.5 litre (14 cup) ovenproof dish.
Peel the hard-boiled eggs, cut them into chunky slices (or halve crossways and cut into wedges then arrange on top of the fish.
Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in the reserved cooking liquor and the chilli, if using. Return the pan to the heat and bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly. Leave to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and prawns and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper. Pour the sauce over the fish and set aside to cool. Once at room temperature transfer to your refrigerator and chill for 1 hour.
For the topping, boil the potatoes for 15–20 minutes until tender. Drain and transfer t a wide mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes with an electric hand mixer until no lumps remain, then add the butter and egg yolks, season with salt and freshly ground white pepper and beat in enough of the milk to form a soft, spreadable mash.
Pre-heat your oven to 200C (180C Fan/400F/Gas mark 6). Spoon the mashed potato over the fish mixture and mark the surface with a fork. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, until piping hot and golden brown.
Serve immediately, accompanied by your choice of greens.
