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Mary Berry Fish Pie with Rosti Topping Recipe

Mary Berry Fish Pie with Rosti Topping Recipe

Mary Berry's fish pie with rosti topping has a crispy, golden grated potato crust instead of mash — a completely wonderful alternative to the classic.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Portions
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Calories: 510
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Fish Filling:
  • 300 g skinless cod or haddock in large chunks
  • 200 g skinless smoked haddock in large chunks
  • 200 g large raw king prawns peeled
  • 600 ml whole milk
  • 1 bay leaf 6 peppercorns, slice of lemon
  • Cream Sauce:
  • 50 g unsalted butter
  • 50 g plain flour
  • Strained poaching milk approximately 550ml
  • 150 ml double cream
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and white pepper
  • Rosti Topping:
  • 900 g Maris Piper potatoes peeled
  • 75 g unsalted butter melted
  • Salt and white pepper
  • 50 g mature Cheddar finely grated (optional)

Method
 

  1. Poach white fish and smoked haddock in milk with bay leaf, peppercorns, and lemon — 5–6 minutes. Lift out carefully. Strain and reserve milk.
  2. Make cream sauce: melt butter, add flour, stir 2 minutes. Add warm poaching milk gradually — whisk smooth. Add cream and mustard. Simmer 5 minutes until thick. Add dill, parsley, and lemon juice. Season with salt and white pepper.
  3. Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Fold fish and raw prawns into sauce — gently. Transfer to dish. Cool 10 minutes.
  4. Coarsely grate raw peeled potatoes. Wring very thoroughly in a clean tea towel until completely dry. Transfer to bowl. Add melted butter — season very generously. Toss to coat.
  5. Spread rosti topping evenly over fish filling — press lightly to cover completely. Scatter Cheddar if using. Bake 35–40 minutes until rosti is deeply golden and crispy and filling is bubbling.
  6. Rest 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Wring grated potato as dry as possible — wet potato steams rather than crisps.
Season the rosti topping very generously — it absorbs a significant amount.
Cool the fish filling 10 minutes before adding rosti — prevents uneven baking.
Use Maris Piper not waxy potatoes — floury potatoes crisp properly.
Reheat uncovered in a hot oven to restore the crispness of the rosti.
Freeze before baking for up to 2 months.
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