Single hen

[The Dogmother]

Right, this is a bit of an ad hoc recipe because I just make it up as I go along, but it tastes divine and is just what we need with the colder weather we're having now.

 

Puff pastry

Baby spinach leaves

1 free range egg

Various bits of fish (I use haddock, cod and some prawns)

Freshly made cheese sauce (I add some white wine)

Chives and bay leaves

Grated cheese

Mashed potatoes

Breadcrumbs

 

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Grease a 3" deep ovenproof dish and line with puff pasty so that it's overlapping the edges. I use ready made puff pastry because life's far too short to make it . Brush with beaten egg and blind bake to seal the pastry - the pastry will bubble up in the middle a bit when you do this - you can weigh it down with baking beans or just prick it with a fork when it comes out.

 

Remove the pastry case from the oven and put a thickish layer of spinach leaves in the bottom, chop up the fish into chunks and mix evenly in the bottom of the dish, on top of the spinach. Sprinkle with chopped chives and add a couple of bay leaves, season with salt and pepper. Make a runny cheese sauce (half a pint of milk should do fine) with a dash of white wine in it, pour this over the top of the fish and add a sprinkle of the grated cheese.

 

Spoon the mashed potato over the top, sprinkle with the homemade breadcrumbs and the rest of the grated cheese, then bake on a low heat. I cook mine for 45 minutes, but then my oven is rubbish!

 

 

 

Enjoy! I had some this lunchtime (made it last night) with a rocket and tomato salad - food of the gods!

[moochoo]

Mmmmmmmm sounds scrummy - a weekend meal planned!

[The Dogmother]

It's easy peasy Sarah, and very satisfying to make....enjoy!

[fairy&cake]

that is so weird!!!

 

I was looking in the supermarket today at the fish and thought about making a fish pie so i bought:

 

2 massive cod fillets and

2 Haddock

and some prawns and mackeral

 

 

 

I was going to look for a recipe and walla! You have one!

 

CHEERS!

[Cinnamon]

Ooooooo, Clare that does sound lovely.

I really like cold weather food, & fish pie has to be the ultimate cold weather,feel good,comfort meal

[The Dogmother]

You're all most welcome

[chickencam]

Had fish pie last night just shows we are all thinking winter comfort food,yum!

[Popcorn]

Now - Clare.

 

Can I ask a question please?

 

When you've baked the pastry, am I right in saying, you take it out of the dish, fill it with the ingredients, and put it in the oven as is...i.e not in a container of sorts, just the pastry case?

 

I've never been keen on using puff pastry, and I can see this going horribly wrong if I attempt it.

[The Dogmother]

Nope, you leave it in the dish Gina. Bake it blind, brushed with egg to seal the pastry and stop it going soggy.

 

Then take it out of the oven, bash the pastry down if needed and put the ingredients in.

 

Have fun Gina.... puff pastry is easy peasy, lemon squeezy

[Popcorn]

easy for some.......what do you mean by baking blind. Do I have to wear blackout glasses?

[The Dogmother]

Sorry Gina, I didn't mean that to sound patronising

 

Ready made puff pastry is easy because it comes ready rolled - all you have to do is line the dish with it.

 

Baking blind means that you bake the pastry case without anything in it before you add the fillling. This stops it going all soggy when you add the innards. You can get ceramic 'beans' - little ceramic balls, which you can use to stop the pastry case bobbling when you do this - just line the case with some foil or greaseproof paper and pour the beans in (Rosie loves doing this), then bake.

 

**Be aware that the beans will be very hot when you take them out of the oven.

 

If I am blind baking a case, I usually brush it with a beaten egg first, this seals it and stops the filling sinking in - fab if you're making quiches.

 

Puff pastry tends to billow up when baked, so it's best to blind bake it first with some baking beans inside.

 

I hope that you enjoy your fish pie.

[Richard T]

that is so weird!!!

I was going to look for a recipe and walla! You have one!

 

I like fish pie too.

 

I know about baking blind, but what's "walla"? I shouldn't think it's essential for a fish pie, but it would be nice to know.