Each winter I get a strong craving for a piping hot, potato topped fish pie. When I started searching for a recipe it was hard to find one free of white sauce, so in the end I had to make up my own!

This one is gluten-free and can be made with a dairy-free mash if required. It has got me through the last half dozen winters so I can promise you it tastes delicious.

Gill’s Fish Pie

(serves at least 4 but this recipe halves well to make two individual pies)

2 tabs olive oil for sautéing
600g blue eye (or similar firm white fish) fillets, in approx. 8mm chunks
600g leeks, washed trimmed and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Additional vegetables as desired, diced (e.g. zucchini)
75g green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
45 g of small capers (if using the ones in salt soak for 1 hour, then drain)
1 tablespoon lemon peel, finely chopped or grated
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Mashed potato – enough to cover your pie dish (boil about 4 large or 6 medium sized potatoes til tender, drain well, mash with olive oil, dairy-free margarine or butter and a dash of salt)

Prepare the mash in the usual way. I like to bake potatoes in their skin and scoop out the flesh, or simply steam if in a hurry. No need to add milk, just mash with butter, margarine or olive oil with a decent pinch of salt.

Cook cubes of fish in olive oil. Do this in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Just 1 minute per side (to seal rather than cook through). Put aside. Now saute the leeks and then add the garlic, cook til soft. If you want to add more vegetables (zucchini, silverbeet etc) toss them in now too. Mix the fish and vegetables with lemon peel, capers, olives and parsley. Give it a quick toss then pour into a large ovenware dish, or individual pie dishes.

Don’t overfill the dishes or it might overflow. It’s a good idea to place dish(es) on a baking tray just in case.

Top with generous amounts of mash. Bake in a hot oven, around 200 C for about 20-30 minutes, til the mash is golden on top.

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