Curried Fish Pie (Printable Version)

Tender fish in creamy curry sauce with golden, crispy potato topping—a British comfort food with a flavorful twist.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fish

01 - 14.1 oz white fish fillets (cod or haddock), skinless and boneless, cut into chunks
02 - 5.3 oz smoked fish (smoked haddock), skinless and boneless, cut into chunks
03 - 3.5 oz cooked peeled shrimp

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

04 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 medium carrot, diced
07 - 3.5 oz frozen peas

→ Sauce

08 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
09 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
10 - 13.5 fl oz whole milk
11 - 3.4 fl oz fish or vegetable stock
12 - 1 tablespoon mild curry powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
14 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
15 - Salt and pepper to taste

→ Potato Topping

16 - 28.2 oz potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
18 - 1.7 fl oz milk
19 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 400°F (180°C fan-assisted) and allow 10 minutes for preheating.
02 - Boil peeled and chunked potatoes in salted water for approximately 15 minutes until completely tender. Drain thoroughly, then mash with butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
03 - While potatoes cook, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrot, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened.
04 - Stir in curry powder and turmeric. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly until the spices are fragrant and evenly distributed.
05 - Add flour to the saucepan and stir continuously for 1 minute to form a paste-like consistency.
06 - Gradually whisk in milk and stock in small amounts to prevent lumping. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes smooth, approximately 4-5 minutes.
07 - Add white fish chunks, smoked fish chunks, and frozen peas to the sauce. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes without boiling.
08 - Remove from heat and stir in shrimp, fresh parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
09 - Transfer curried fish filling to a baking dish. Spread mashed potato topping evenly across the surface and create texture by roughing up the top with a fork.
10 - Bake for 25 minutes until the potato topping is golden and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the bridge between two worlds: proper British comfort with a whisper of exotic spice that feels like home.
  • The contrast between creamy, gentle curry sauce and that crispy golden potato topping is genuinely addictive.
  • One dish feeds four people without anyone feeling like they're eating something fussy or complicated.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting the curry powder and turmeric; raw spices in a creamy sauce taste flat and slightly bitter, but toasted spices become warm and inviting.
  • Add the shrimp after removing from heat, not during simmering; they'll toughen up if cooked longer than 30 seconds.
  • Rough up that mashed potato topping with a fork before baking, it's the difference between creamy mash and genuinely crispy, golden potato shards.
03 -
  • Keep your fish stock ready before you start the sauce; there's nothing worse than scrambling to find it while trying to whisk in liquid to thicken a roux.
  • The difference between a good curried fish pie and an extraordinary one is in the mashed potato topping texture; fluffy clouds that crisp up, not dense or gluey.
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