Shepherd's pie with ground beef
6 servings
70 minutes
Shepherd's pie is a traditional British dish rooted in rural areas where it was made from available ingredients. This cozy and hearty dish features tender minced beef combined with aromatic vegetables and a rich sauce, topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and a golden cheese crust. The flavor of the pie is a harmony of rich meat aroma, softness of potatoes, and a hint of spice. It is perfect for family dinners and cozy evenings when you want to warm up with something homey and fragrant. Served hot and garnished with fresh herbs to highlight its tenderness and freshness. Shepherd's pie is not just food; it's a tradition that transports you to the atmosphere of a village hearth and comfort.
1
Peel the onion, carrot, and potato. Dice the onion and carrot, press the garlic, and cut the potato into large pieces to ensure they are of equal size for even cooking.
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Potato: 1 kg
- Garlic: 2 cloves
2
Put a pot of water for potatoes and a deep pan for meat on the fire. When the pan heats up over medium heat, pour in olive oil and wait for it to warm up. Sauté onion and carrot in it for 2-3 minutes, add garlic and fry while stirring for another 30 seconds at most; otherwise the garlic will burn. Add meat and stir with a spatula while breaking up lumps; fry for another 7-10 minutes until cooked. Add flour and cook while stirring constantly for another 30 seconds. Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and dried herbs to taste (I usually add rosemary or a mix of Italian herbs but not all together; better to choose one). Mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat to minimum and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Ground beef: 500 g
- Wheat flour: 2 tablespoons
- Beef broth: 1.5 glass
- Worcestershire sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Tomato paste: 2 tablespoons
- Dried rosemary: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
3
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
4
At this time, the water for the potatoes should be boiling. Salt to taste, add the potatoes and cook until done, about 20-30 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Heat the milk with butter so that the mashed potatoes mix better. When the potatoes are cooked, drain the water, add the milk-butter mixture and mash into puree. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Optionally, you can add some grated cheese and turmeric for color.
- Salt: to taste
- Potato: 1 kg
- Milk: 200 ml
- Butter: 3 tablespoons
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Cheese: 150 g
5
By this time, the meat sauce will be ready. Taste it, add salt and pepper to your liking, but not earlier, as the sauce evaporates a bit and becomes more concentrated; if seasoned too early, it will end up being too salty.
6
In a deep glass baking dish (glass for beauty, of course), layer the meat sauce, smooth it out, then spread the mashed potatoes on top and level it with a spatula. Sprinkle with grated cheese and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese turns golden.
- Cheese: 150 g
7
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.
- Chopped parsley: to taste