Shepherd's Pie
Recipe by Gingham
A rich lamb or beef filling with peas and carrots, under mashed potatoes baked until the peaks turn golden.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 2 1/2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- Kosher salt, for the water
- 4 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup milk, warmed
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 1/2 lb ground lamb or beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Method
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Put the potatoes in a pot, cover them with cold water by an inch, and salt it well. Bring to a boil and simmer until a fork slides in easily, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion and carrots for 5 minutes.
Add the meat and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon off most of the fat.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute, then sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute more.
Add the broth, Worcestershire, thyme, salt, and pepper and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and spread the filling in a 3-quart baking dish.
Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, and mash them with the butter, milk, and salt.
Spread the potatoes over the filling all the way to the edges and rough up the top with a fork.
Bake until bubbling at the edges and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes from the source
Made with beef, it's often called cottage pie. Put it together up to a day ahead and bake it from the fridge for 35 to 40 minutes.