Fish Pie

Makes 6 large portions. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Next, put the potatoes on to boil. Cook them gently in a pan of salted water for about 20-25 minutes or until a knife pierces without any resistance. Once cooked, drain in a colander, reserving a cupful of the cooking water, and allow to steam dry for a few minutes. While the spuds are cooking, put the eggs in a small pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle bubble and boil for 4 minutes. Drain and put in cold water to cool. Meanwhile, put the fish fillets in a baking dish big enough to hold them snugly and pour over the milk. Tuck in the bay leaves and dot with 1 tbsp of the butter, then add some pepper. Hold back on the salt at this point, as the smoked haddock will leach plenty of saltiness into the milk. Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. Add the chopped parsley and dilute the sauce with some of the reserved potato water if it's too thick. Next, shell the eggs, chop and carefully fold into the sauce with the flakes of fish and the prawns. Transfer the fish and sauce mixture to an oven-proof ceramic dish that leaves enough room for a good layer of mash. Leave to cool and solidify - this will stop things getting messy when you come to add the potato crust. Turn up the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Mash the cooked potatoes with a splash of milk, the remaining butter, and some salt and pepper until smooth, but not too sloppy. Apply the mash in large blobs all over the top of the fish mixture, gently forking the dollops down. Then, using a wide, bendy knife, smooth until flat and seamless. Rough up the surface with a fork or the round end of a palette knife, then brush all over with the beaten egg. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes, until touched with brown all over. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil.