Student cookbook: Crispy fish pie

Packs of mixed, ready-cut fish make it really easy to cook a simple fish pie. You can obviously top it with mashed potato, but try this delicious crispy potato topping. Serves: 4 Cooking time: 40 mins 450g waxy potatoes (a red-skinned variety such as desirée) 2 eggs 320g fresh or frozen (but thawed) mixed fish pieces 2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced 125g button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 250g low-fat creme fraiche 1 heaped tsp dijon mustard 25g butter or 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Peel and halve or quarter the potatoes so you have pieces of an even size and boil for 10 minutes. Drain them and leave until cool enough to handle, then grate them roughly on the largest holes of your grater and set aside. Hard boil the eggs (about 10 minutes in boiling water) then drain and cover with cold water. Lightly grease a medium-size ovenproof dish and tip in the fish pieces. Shell and slice the eggs. Scatter the spring onions over the fish, then add a layer of sliced eggs and sliced mushrooms. Mix the creme fraiche with the mustard, season with salt and pepper then spoon evenly over the fish, egg and mushrooms. Spread the grated potatoes evenly over the top of the pie. Melt the butter if using then drizzle it – or the olive oil – over the top of the potato. Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the potato topping is lightly browned and crisp (if it doesn't seem crisp enough pop the pie under a hot grill to brown.) Tip: You can vary the ingredients for this depending on what you have available. For instance, you could add a couple of chopped skinned tomatoes or a handful of frozen peas or spinach instead of the mushrooms, or sprinkle the potato topping with cheese.