...To think that fish pie is a complete faff to make

[Selks]

Finally the fish pie is in the oven. It generated a mammoth pile of washing up, with every pan and kitchen implement used, seemingly. I'm exhausted. Don't even feel like eating now. Good thing that (grown up) son is running late and we wouldn't have eaten until late anyway.

What a faff this dish is. It should be straightforward, theoretically, but always seems to take me an age to put together.

Sorry, long and boring post about fish pie.

It better be blooming nice now.

What dish do you make but find a huge faff?

doesnt have to be a faff, do you cook the fish first? If you do tere is no need (Jamie Oliver doesn't) and this results in less washing up and reduces the faff!

The Jamie Oliver easy fish pie uses one dish and a grater. It is also the best I have ever tasted!

I agree about fish pie

I cheat and buy frozen mash! And have a le creuset type hob to oven pot. So only one dish needed!

Ooh love a fish pie - favourite comfort food of all time. Think a lot depends on the recipe you use as to whether it's a faff. Enjoy!

Shepherd's pie
lasagna
toad in the hole

but anything involving a white home made sauce is a pain as an extra saucepan is used straight off and we don't have a dish washer.

Sorry, the Jamie pie also requirres mash, so a pot too!

yep, cooked the fish gently first in milk, then made the sauce using that. Did hard boiled eggs too. Mashed spuds to put on top. Sounds so easy when I put it like that.

Maybe I'm just tired. Have had a long day.

I'll second fish pie. I made it the other day, it took forever,and I used just about every dish. I got 6 portions out of it,three of which I froze,so at least I won't have to start over again when I next crave it.

I once made Nigella's bread-sauce flavoured potato dauphinoise - that was a massive faff! Also had to find mace!

Yes, I'm with you, fishpie is a complete faff.

I've got it down to the minimum I can, so cut loads of corners. Bake the fish in tinfoil in the oven, then do potatoes. Just as potatoes are finishing, make a strightforward white sauce. If we're lucky, I use two different types of fish, and hardboil an egg too, but I have to be feeling creative to do that.

DS2 loves it, as does DH, but DH1 (aged 7 who is actually the world's best eater usually, and will have an adult's portion of just about anything) doesn't like it, so I only make it about once a month.

I find fish pie very simply to make nowadays I simply say to either dd1 or dd2 can you make a fishpie for tonights supper please

Oh Well done DDs thank you!

YANBU. If I'm going to spend a whole afternoon doing kitchen things I'd rather it resulted in something a bit more exciting than fish pie! Homemade fish pie is very nice, but I feel not that nice.

my fish pie is the easiest thing ever. fish pie mix from asda (bought in a coffin), chuck some frozen peas and tinned sweetcorn in, add some fromage frais and milk (mixed together in a jug with some black pepper). put some grated cheese and breadcrumbs on the top.

washing up =
sieve (draining the sweetcorn),
grater for cheese and breadcrumbs,
knife (cutting cheese - or optional if you don't cut cheese; unless you use it to slit the packet on the fish),
bowl you grate the cheese and breadcrumbs into,
jug and fork you mixed the milk and ff together in.
oh and the dish you cook it in.

I've never made it. I stick with Mushroom and chicken pie. I'm thinking of having it now...

I did get a bit fancy with the sauce I suppose. Added white wine, parsley, little bit of cheese and a bit of fish stock. Tasted good, but looked on the verge of splitting.

i love fish pie but we don't eat it very often as it's so much work

lasagne got a lot easier when i discovered the merits of buying cheese sauce

it's a whole lot easier when i make dh cook things, actually . Am a bit of a lazy sod in the kitchen

Ooh we sometimes have a lovely really quick cheat's fish pie.

Cut fish into chunks, chuck in a dish with a handful of prawns and some frozen peas. Stir in a tub of Philadelphia with chives.

Cut 3 slices of bread into cubes, put a splash of olive oil in a bowl then stir in bread cubes until they're coated in oil. Put bread on top of fish, grate a bit of cheese over, then stick in the oven for about 45 mins.

Serve with new potatoes or oven chips. Lovely .

Just looked at Jamie's fish pie. Looks good. Was making fish pie tomorrow, but might try that recipe now.

One question though. He says you can use a couple of tbs of creme fraiche to make the fish more creamy. I don't have any creme fraiche, but do have some mascarpone. Do you think that would work?

Yanbu.

Pisses me off no end when fish pie, shepherds pie, lasagne, are all touted as easy healthy meals to make for your family.

They all take HOURS.

Try tomato sauce fish pie - chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, chilli powder seasoning and fish pie mix and veggies and onion in slow cooker on low 2 hours.

Do potatoes separately - I cook in micro then slice, put on top of fish tomato mix then put whole thing under grill with breadcrumbs on. Under no circumstances do with mash :)

nah you're doing it wrong

use offcuts of salmon and some smoked mackerel

put in pan with leeks/onion and fry a bit
put in pot of half fat creme fraiche with some 'erbs
boil pots and mash
shove in oven

quick quick

Mine's a bit like WIWRH's - fish pie mix from Co op or the frozen one from Waitrose, plus some frozen raw prawns. Mix in creme fraiche, grate loads of cheese on top, cook in hot oven until cheese is brown. Fried leeks or cooked sweetcorn/peas added at whim.

You just need to start your mash/chips/sautees before you put the fish in the oven as they'll take longer. It's also good with rice for a change.

Shepherds pie is dead easy - and doesn't take hours does it?
(well not when I make it!)