In My Kitchen : Shepard Pie

In my Kitchen this Thursday it’s all about St Patrick Day so enjoy :

What is Shepard Pie?

Shepherd’s pie or cottage pie is a meat pie with a crust or topping of mashed potato. The recipe has many variations, but the defining ingredients are minced red meat, cooked in a gravy or sauce with  vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. Usually made with ground lamb in Ireland this version is made with ground beef- Enjoy…..

• 1 c Flour
• 1/8 tsp oil
• 1/3 C cold butter
• 2/3 T cold water
• 1 lb lean ground meat
• 1 small onion /chopped fine
• 2 C frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 can condensed celery soup
• chopped thyme
• 3 C mashed potatoes ( homemade the best but you can use other types)

Preheat oven to 375 :

1. Make Dough:
2. Combine flour and salt in large bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened.
3. STEP 3Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into 12-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into ungreased 9-inch pie pan; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to 1/2 inch from edge of pan. Crimp or flute edge. Set aside.

Meat Filling:

1. Cook ground beef and onion into 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 9-11 minutes or until beef is browned. Drain off fat. Stir in vegetables, soup and thyme leaves; continue cooking 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
2. STEP 5Spoon meat mixture into pie crust. Spoon mashed potatoes over meat mixture. Bake 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and pie is heated through.

Kitchen Tips :

Ground turkey or chicken, or a mixtures of ground pork or sausage (a bulk mild or spicy Italian sausage would be great here) all cook up beautifully in a meat pie. Also instead of frozen vegetables use any leftover vegetables you have out of the fridge.

Don’t want to make your own mashed potatoes ? Refrigerated mashed potatoes are terrifically easy, but so are mashed potato flakes. Use a roasted garlic flavored or stir some sharp cheddar cheese into the potatoes before spreading them over the casserole.