Prepare this dish a day or two in advance and put it on to bake just before friends arrive. It also makes a fantastic winter meal on a cold day. Serve with fresh lettuce or tomato salads at the table.

Ingredients

• Kumara layer
• 800 grams - 1kg red-skinned kumara, peeled
• 50 gram butter
• ½ cup milk
• Smoked fish filling
• 50 grams butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1-2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1½ cups milk
• ½ cup cream cream, or extra milk
• 250 grams smoked fish, flaked
• 2-3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• Topping
• ¼ cup grated Cheddar-style cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• grated rind of 1-2 lemons

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
2. Cut the kumara into even-sized pieces and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash well with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper. While the kumara is cooking, prepare the filling.
3. Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the flour and curry powder and cook for 1-2 minutes until frothy.
4. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk and cream. Bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly until thick. Reduce the heat and cook a further 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly.
5. Remove from the heat and fold through the smoked fish and eggs.
6. Spread half the mashed kumara into the bottom of an 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish. Spread over the fish filling. Carefully top with the remaining kumara and sprinkle the grated cheese evenly on the top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle parsley and grated lemon rind over the golden cheese-baked top before serving.

Cooks Tips

- Cutting the kumara into even-sized pieces ensures that they cook evenly. - Avoid orange-fleshed kumara for this recipe as they are too moist when mashed. - This dish can be prepared ahead and frozen. Defrost overnight in the fridge and bake until piping hot. Allow an extra 10-15 minutes cooking time. - For the kids, use mild-flavoured smoked fish and forget the parsley and lemon rind or you could serve in small dishes so the kids have their own individual serving - like a pot pie. Variations: - Use starchy potatoes or a mix of kumara and potatoes. - Cook one finely sliced leek in the butter before adding the flour to make the sauce. - Use well-drained canned tuna or canned smoked fish in place of fresh smoked fish. - Prepare the sauce with chicken stock and milk rather than milk and cream for a lighter-textured sauce. - Add chopped spring onions or a finely chopped green capsicum to the sauce.