Flaky Fish Pie

By jimmyhutton on August 11, 2021 in Food

Golden brown, texture like sun. Photo: Dana Sims @stone_and_twine

Here’s something to give you comfort, nostalgia and a taste of Sydney’s best produce. It’s a recipe keeping with tradition; fish, prawns, stock, leek, potato, wine, mustard, cream, herbs and a flaky, golden lid of pastry – honestly, what could be better?
Support your local fish shop and get the freshest seafood available. Spend time developing and balancing the sauce (taste as you go) and you’ll be impressed with the end result. Throw some green leaves together, tear up some crusty baguette and chill the white wine. It’s winter, we’ll survive another lockdown but we all need some love!

Ingredients
(serves 6)
700gm fresh ling fillets, largely diced
600gm fresh green prawns, peeled, deveined and diced
2 large potatoes, peeled, diced
1 leek, finely diced
1 celery stick, finely diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
20gm butter
25gm plain flour
400ml fish or vegetable stock
250ml white wine
1 tbs Dijon mustard
150ml pouring cream
2 tbs parsley, finely chopped
1 tbs chives, finely chopped
Fresh black pepper
Sea salt
1½ sheets puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
Lemon wedges, to serve

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (a piping hot oven is the key to golden brown, flaky pastry).
2. In a small saucepan of boiling water, cook the diced potato until al dente. Drain and set aside for later.
3. In a large saucepan on medium heat, add the olive oil, celery, leek and garlic. Sautee until softened for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the butter and when melted, add in the flour.
4. Stir quickly to cook out the flour, then add the white wine. Let the wine reduce, before adding the Dijon mustard. Gradually and slowly add the stock and stir to keep lumps from forming.
5. Once the sauce has thickened (coats the back of a spoon), add in the cream, sea salt and black pepper to taste (peppery is good). Cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley and chives.
6. Transfer the prepared fish and prawns and the cooked potato to a large oval baking dish and spread evenly. Pour over the sauce and gently stir it through the pie filling.
7. Take your thawed puff pastry and lay it over the pie filling. Trim the edges to fit your baking dish. With a knife, make a small cross in the centre of the pastry to allow the steam to escape while cooking. Lightly brush the pastry with the egg wash and place it in the hot oven to bake for 30-35 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the pastry is golden brown.
8. Remove from the oven and serve with a green salad, crusty bread and wedges of lemon.

Dana Sims is a Sydney-based food and prop stylist who has grown up in the Eastern Suburbs and loves to create delicious food for entertaining and family. She is inspired by the fresh produce we have access to here in Sydney. For ideas, recipes and styling inspiration, check out her Instagram, @stone_and_twine.