Fish and Oyster Pie is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of cold fish and oysters layered with breadcrumbs, topped with a lattice of pastry and finished with a sauce made from oyster liqueur and white sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Fish and Oyster Pie.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
257. INGREDIENTS.—Any remains of cold fish, such as cod or haddock; 2 dozen oysters, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; 1/2 teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley.
Mode.—Clear the fish from the bones, and put a layer of it in a pie-dish, which sprinkle with pepper and salt; then a layer of bread crumbs, oysters, nutmeg, and chopped parsley. Repeat this till the dish is quite full. You may form a covering either of bread crumbs, which should be browned, or puff-paste, which should be cut into long strips, and laid in cross-bars over the fish, with a line of the paste first laid round the edge. Before putting on the top, pour in some made melted butter, or a little thin white sauce, and the oyster-liquor, and bake.
Time.—If made of cooked fish, 1/4 hour; if made of fresh fish and puff-paste, 3/4 hour.
Average cost, 1s. 6d.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.—A nice little dish may be made by flaking any cold fish, adding a few oysters, seasoning with pepper and salt, and covering with mashed potatoes; 1/4 hour will bake it.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
400g remains of cold fish, flaked (cod and haddock are good)
24 oysters, shucked (reserve their liquor)
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
120g breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
1 tsp parsley, finely chopped
150g puff pastry
60g butter, melted
100ml pouring consistency white sauce mixed with 40ml water
Method:
Flake the fish and remove any bones then arrange in a layer in a pie dish. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then add a layer of breadcrumbs, followed by the oysters, nutmeg and parsley.
Repeat the layering process until the dish is completely full. Edge your dish with pastry then cover the top with a lattice of puff pastry strips. Pour in the butter, any liquor from the oysters and the thinned white sauce. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the dish is cooked through.
