Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

Pie

  • 2 tbsp. Olive oil
  • 500g Lean minced beef
  • 1 Onion, chopped
  • 1 Medium carrot, finely-chopped
  • 1 Red pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1-2 Cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp. Dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp. Tomato purée
  • 100ml Red wine
  • 1 (400g) Can chopped tomatoes
  • 150ml Beef stock
  • Salt & Pepper, freshly-ground

Topping

  • 800 Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
  • 100g Parmigiano Reggiano, coarsely-grated
  • 40g Butter
  • 2 tbsp. Milk
  • Basil leaves, torn

Method

Pie

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the mince and fry until browned, stirring with a wooden spatula to break up the mince.
Add the onions and cook for a further 3 minutes until the water has evaporated from the mince. Stir in the carrots, peppers and garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
Add the wine and stir well. Add the oregano, puree, tomatoes and stock, and bring to a boil. Season well, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes, removing the lid for the final 5 minutes
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into large even chunks and boil in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes or until they are tender. Preheat the oven to 200° C/Fan 180° C/ Gas Mark 6.
Drain the potatoes, return to the pan, add the butter and mash until smooth. Add 75g of the Parmigiano Reggiano, the milk and basil then whisk through with a fork until fluffy.
Spoon the mince mixture into an (2.4ltr) ovenproof dish, then use a fork and spoon to heap the potatoes on top. Sprinkle over the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano. Bake on a baking tray for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

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