Stargazy Pie
Photo: Zangar (talk) (Transfered by Zangar/Original uploaded by Zangar), CC BY-SA 3.0
Stargazy pie is a Cornish fish pie in which whole fish heads poke up through the pastry crust, staring skyward. The 1929 Women's Institute recipe rolls herrings, pilchards or mackerel with parsley, layers them with breadcrumbs and bacon, and moistens the pie with egg beaten with tarragon vinegar, or with cream. The vinegar cuts the richness of the oily fish, and the heads give you a very good story at the table.
Instructions
Scale, clean and bone the fish, keeping the heads aside for later. Season the inside of each fish with salt, pepper and chopped parsley, then roll it up neatly.
Butter the pie dish and scatter a thick layer of fine breadcrumbs over the bottom. Lay in some of the rolled fish, then add more breadcrumbs and more fish in alternating layers until the dish is full.
Cover the top layer with the bacon rashers. Beat the eggs with the tarragon vinegar and pour this over the pie, or use the cream instead.
Cover the dish with pastry. Push the fish heads through or set them on top of the pastry so that they face upward, as if gazing at the stars.
Bake in a hot oven until the pastry is cooked through and golden. Serve with a sprig of parsley tucked into the mouth of each fish.
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