Butternut Squash and Mackerel Pie
Also part of my food-in-film series, this pie is inspired by the one featured in Kiki’s Delivery Service. According to the internet, the original is pumpkin and herring, but since those aren’t always accessible, I swapped in butternut squash and mackerel. I was a bit hesitant about the flavour combo, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It’s now one of my favourite pies—perfect for chilly days and utterly blissful to eat.
Serves 4
Hands-on Time 30 minutes
Cooking Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
Olive oil (for drizzling and frying)
Fine salt
Black pepper
1 onion
1 garlic clove
75g chestnut mushrooms
40g butter (plus 2 knobs)
4 mackerel fillets
50g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
400ml milk
1/2 portion rough puff pastry or 300g ready-made puff pastry
1 egg (for egg wash)
12 black olives (pitted)
Equipment
Baking tray
Baking parchment
Knife
Chopping board
Spatula
Frying pan
3 bowls
Potato masher
Oven-proof dish
Rolling pin
Small bowl
Pastry brush
Method
1. Roast the butternut squash
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C (fan)/375°F/Gas Mark 5.
Peel, deseed, and cube the butternut squash into 2cm pieces.
Place the cubes on a lined baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 60 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and golden.
2. Prepare the filling
Thinly slice the onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
Heat a knob of butter and a glug of oil in a frying pan. Cook the onion for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer to a bowl.
Add another knob of butter and a glug of oil to the pan. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to a separate bowl.
Heat a glug of oil in the pan. Cook the mackerel fillets skin-side down for 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool, then flake the fish, discarding the skin.
3. Make the sauce
In the same pan, melt 40g butter and stir in 50g flour to form a paste. Cook for 2 minutes, then gradually whisk in the milk. Stir for 5 minutes until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine the sauce with the flaked fish and mushrooms.
4. Assemble the pie
Mash the roasted squash in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spread it evenly in an oven-proof dish.
Layer the cooked onions over the squash, followed by the fish and mushroom mixture.
5. Top with pastry
Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to fit the dish, leaving extra for decorations.
Place the pastry over the filling, trimming and sealing the edges. Use excess pastry to create decorations (e.g., lattice or fish shapes).
Beat the egg and brush it over the pastry to glaze and secure decorations.
Dot the olives around the edge of the pie.
6. Bake the pie
Bake on the middle shelf for 25 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
Let the pie rest for a few minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
