Beloved British cook Mary Berry has shared a clever twist on a classic comfort food that saves time and elevates texture. Her renowned fish pie recipe abandons the traditional mashed potato topping in favour of a rustic, crushed alternative, promising a golden, crispy finish that is simpler to achieve.
The Secret to a Simpler, Crispier Crust
This celebrated dish, perfect for a cosy family dinner or for entertaining guests, features a luxurious filling of salmon and hake in a rich, lemony white sauce with spinach. The revolutionary change lies in the topping. Instead of laboriously mashing potatoes, Mary Berry instructs home cooks to boil 800g of new potatoes for 15 minutes, drain them, and then crush them roughly with a fork.
This method creates delightful rustic chunks rather than a smooth puree. The crushed potatoes are then mixed with olive oil, salt, and pepper before being heaped over the creamy fish and wilted spinach layers. A final drizzle of olive oil before baking ensures the topping turns beautifully golden and crisp in the oven.
Why This Method Wins on a Busy Weeknight
The advantages of this approach are multiple. Firstly, it eliminates the often fiddly process of piping or spreading mash evenly, significantly cutting preparation time. Secondly, the texture contrast is exceptional: the top layer crisps up wonderfully, while the softer potato chunks underneath soak up the delicious, creamy filling.
Mary Berry's recipe, originally highlighted by lifestyle reporters, emphasises allowing the fish mixture to cool slightly before adding the potato topping. This crucial step prevents the potatoes from sinking and helps maintain the ideal separation of layers and texture. The pie is then baked at 200°C (180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6) for 30 to 40 minutes until bubbling and perfectly bronzed.
Full Ingredients and Method Summary
The filling is a flavourful combination of leeks cooked in butter, flour, and 600ml of hot whole milk to create a sauce, enriched with fresh dill, lemon zest, and seasoned well. The 400g of hake and 400g of salmon are gently folded in and cooked briefly before being combined with buttered spinach.
For those looking to recreate this dish, the key takeaways are the use of crushed, not mashed, potatoes and the attention to cooling the base before assembling. This quicker and easier technique delivers a fish pie with superior texture and deep, comforting flavours, proving that simplicity often leads to the most impressive results in the kitchen.
