There’s nothing more comforting than traditional Shepherd’s Pie! This hearty pie with minced lamb topped with creamy mashed potato is a true winter warmer.
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan and add the minced lamb. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon and cook until nicely browned. Drain and set aside.
Add the remaining oil in same pan (no need to clean) and cook the onions, celery, carrot, thyme and bay leaves on medium-low heat for five minutes until they start to soften.
Add the minced lamb, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, wine and stock and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer.
Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about an hour until the liquid is almost gone. Taste and season with the salt and pepper.
When the lamb is about 30 minutes in, put the potatoes in a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until fork tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Heat the milk and butter until the butter melts then add to the potatoes and mash thoroughly. Taste and add salt and pepper. Leave the potatoes to cool slightly then transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (or simply snip the end of the bag).
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Take the bay leaves out and transfer the lamb into a 7”x 9” (18cmx23cm) baking dish and pack down.
Pipe the mash over the lamb and sprinkle with the Parmesan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden. Leave to cool for five minutes then serve with some green steamed veggies on the side.
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Notes
Try mixing it up by topping with sweet potato mash, or add extra veggies like peas in the filling.
Add 2 tsp corn flour diluted in 2 tbsp cold water to thicken sauce if required.