📝 About This Recipe
Hailing from the Cornish village of Mousehole, this iconic pie is a celebration of Tom Bawcock's Eve, commemorating a legendary fisherman who braved stormy seas to save his village from famine. This savory masterpiece features fresh pilchards (or sardines) nestled in a rich, creamy leek and bacon sauce, with their heads poking through a golden puff pastry crust to 'gaze at the stars.' It is a visually stunning, deeply flavorful piece of British maritime history that balances briny seafood with smoky bacon and buttery pastry.
🥗 Ingredients
The Fish
- 8-10 pieces Fresh Pilchards or large Sardines (cleaned, scaled, and gutted, but with heads and tails left intact)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice (to season the fish)
The Filling
- 150 grams Smoked streaky bacon (chopped into small lardons)
- 2 large Leeks (white and light green parts only, finely sliced)
- 50 grams Unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
- 3 pieces Hard-boiled eggs (peeled and quartered)
- 300 ml Fish stock or chicken stock
- 100 ml Heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- to taste Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pastry and Glaze
- 500 grams All-butter Puff Pastry (chilled)
- 1 large Egg (beaten with a splash of milk for the wash)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Lightly grease a deep 20-22cm (9-inch) round pie dish with a little butter.
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2
Prepare the fish: Ensure the sardines are cleaned but keep the heads and tails on. Season them lightly with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
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3
In a large skillet or frying pan, fry the bacon lardons over medium heat until the fat has rendered and they are starting to turn golden and crispy.
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4
Add the butter to the pan with the bacon. Once melted, stir in the sliced leeks. Sauté gently for 8-10 minutes until the leeks are soft and translucent, taking care not to brown them.
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5
Sprinkle the flour over the leek and bacon mixture. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste, creating a thick paste (roux).
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6
Gradually pour in the stock, whisking constantly to ensure a smooth sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer until thickened.
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7
Stir in the heavy cream, Dijon mustard, and chopped parsley. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Remove from heat and let the sauce cool slightly.
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8
Pour the creamy leek and bacon mixture into the prepared pie dish. Scatter the quartered hard-boiled eggs evenly throughout the sauce.
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9
Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface until it is about 3-5mm thick and slightly larger than your pie dish.
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10
Arrange the sardines in the dish, pushing the bodies into the sauce but positioning the heads so they lean against the rim of the dish, facing upward. You can also place tails pointing inward or upward if desired.
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11
Carefully drape the pastry over the dish. Use a sharp knife to make small slits where the fish heads are located, gently pulling the heads through the pastry so they 'gaze' out. Do the same for the tails if you want them visible.
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12
Press the edges of the pastry against the rim of the dish to seal, trimming any excess. Brush the entire surface of the pastry generously with the egg wash.
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13
Bake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and a deep golden brown, and the filling is bubbling hot.
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14
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly.
💡 Chef's Tips
If you cannot find fresh pilchards, large fresh sardines or even small herrings are the best authentic substitutes. To prevent a 'soggy bottom,' ensure your leek filling has cooled slightly before adding the pastry lid. Don't skip the hard-boiled eggs; they are traditional and help soak up the delicious juices from the fish as it cooks. If the fish heads look like they might burn, you can lightly cover them with small pieces of foil halfway through baking. Ensure the fish are very fresh; the heads should have bright eyes for the best visual 'stargazing' effect.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of buttery mashed potatoes or boiled new potatoes to soak up the creamy sauce. A side of steamed seasonal greens, such as savoy cabbage or kale, cuts through the richness of the pie. Pair with a crisp Cornish cider or a dry white wine like a Muscadet or Chablis. A dollop of sharp English mustard on the side adds a lovely heat that complements the oily fish.