Breaded Fish & Pea Mash

📝 Ingredients

• 4 skinless cod fillets (600 g)
• 2 tbsp plain flour (20 g)
• 1 egg
• 60 g panko breadcrumbs
• 30 g grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g potatoes
• 500 g frozen peas
• 100 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 1 lemon
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Baking tray and baking paper
• 3 shallow bowls
• Potato masher
• Colander
• Kitchen paper

📖 Steps

1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into evenly sized pieces and put them in a pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 min over a medium heat. Add the frozen peas and cook for another 5 min.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220 °C and line the baking tray with baking paper. Carefully pat the cod fillets dry with kitchen paper: damp fish won't hold its coating. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Set out three shallow bowls: the flour in the first, the egg beaten with a pinch of salt in the second, and in the third the panko and Parmesan, mixed together with your fingertips.
4. Dip each fillet in the flour, tapping off the excess, then in the egg, then in the panko, pressing it firmly onto each side so it sticks. Place the fillets on the tray without them touching.
5. Drizzle the olive oil over the breaded fish. Bake for 15 min at 220 °C, until the coating is nicely golden and the flesh flakes into pearly layers when pierced with a fork.
6. While the fish is cooking, warm the milk in the microwave for 1 min. Drain the potatoes and peas, reserving a glass of the cooking water, then return them to the pan with the butter, milk and chopped mint.
7. Mash with the potato masher until you have a slightly rustic mash: don't blend it, or the potato will turn gluey. Add a little cooking water if it's too thick, then season with salt and pepper.
8. Cut the lemon into wedges. Serve each crispy breaded fillet on a big spoonful of mash, with a lemon wedge to squeeze over the fish at the last moment.