Stargazy pie

Description

Stargazy pie is a savory Cornish pie filled with hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, bacon, mustard-flavored custard, and whole sardines that are poking their heads through the top crust, appearing to gaze at the stars, hence the name. The unusual, whimsical dish was originally prepared to celebrate the heroic fishermen's catches during the cold, stormy winters. The whole catch was baked into a pie and many believe that it saved the Mosehole village of Cornwall from starvation. The festival is celebrated annually, and it is known as Tom Bawcock's Eve . Although the arrangement of the fish seems highly eccentric, there's actually a good reason for their placement - the need to preserve as much of the essential oils as possible. Therefore, the fish are arranged so that their oils run back into the filling as it cooks.