Stargazy pie
Stargazy pie is a traditional Cornish dish. It's a savory pie filled with a mixture of fish, usually pilchards, along with potatoes, eggs, and a lovely combination of herbs and spices. What makes Stargazy pie special is that the fish heads are left poking out from the pastry, as if they're gazing up at the stars.
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fresh whole pilchards (or any other firm white fish, like haddock or mackerel)
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and diced
- 4 hard-boiled eggs peeled and sliced
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fish stock or vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Shortcrust pastry (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 egg beaten, (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic, and sauté until they turn translucent.
- Mix in the flour and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Gradually pour in the fish stock or vegetable broth, stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- Add the diced potatoes, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pan. Simmer until the potatoes are tender and the mixture thickens slightly.
- While the mixture is simmering, clean the pilchards and remove their heads, but leave the bodies intact. Rinse them under cold water and pat dry.
- Line the bottom of a pie dish or baking dish with a layer of the shortcrust pastry, leaving some extra pastry for the top.
- Arrange the pilchards, heads facing upwards, on top of the potato mixture. Place the sliced hard-boiled eggs between the fish.
- Pour the cream over the filling, ensuring it seeps between the fish and potatoes.
- Roll out the remaining pastry to create a lid for the pie. Place it over the filling and seal the edges by crimping with a fork or your fingers.
- Brush the pastry lid with the beaten egg to give it a lovely golden shine.
- Make a small hole in the center of the pastry lid to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Bake the Stargazy pie in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until the pastry turns golden brown.
- Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Disclaimer
Some parts of recipe maybe AI-generated.
Nutrition
Calories: 291kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 18g (6%)Protein: 31g (62%)Fat: 10g (15%)Saturated Fat: 4g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 220mg (73%)Sodium: 254mg (11%)Potassium: 802mg (23%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 433IU (9%)Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)Calcium: 76mg (8%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Disclaimer
Nutritional information for this recipe is an approximation and is not to be construed as medical advice.
