A recipe for traditional Shepherd's Pie - or Cottage Pie - with ground beef, gravy, vegetables, and a mashed potato topping.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine English
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour30 minutesminutes
Servings 6-8 servings
Author Deborah Harroun
Ingredients
Filling
1 1/2poundsground beef
salt and pepper
1/2tablespoonvegetable oil
1onionminced
1carrotpeeled and sliced to 1/4 inch thick
1/2tablespoontomato paste
1garlic cloveminced
1tablespoonall-purpose flour
1cupchicken broth
1/8cupdry red wine
1teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
1teaspoonminced fresh thymeor 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2cupfrozen peas
Topping
2poundsrusset potatoespeeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
3tablespoonsmelted butter
1/3cupmilkhot
salt and pepper
1large egg yolk
Instructions
FOR THE FILLING
Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Brown the ground beef. Transfer beef to a bowl.
Add the 1/2 tablespoon oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrots, and a bit of salt and cook until softened. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the flour; cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth, wine and Worcestershire, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the thyme and the reserved ground beef and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce to low and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
FOR THE TOPPING
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan, and mash. Stir in the butter, then the milk until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the egg yolks.
TO ASSEMBLE
Heat the oven to 400F. Stir the peas into the beef mixture, then pour into a baking dish. With a large spoon, drop spoonfuls of the potatoes over the filling, then spread them out to the edge of the dish to ensure a tight seal. Bake in the middle of the oven until the top turns a golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.