Easy Freeze Shepherd's Pie

400g lamb mince

4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

1 carrot peeled and diced

1 red onion finely chopped

1 sprig of rosemary finely chopped

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

1 tablespoon of tomato puree

2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

300ml Lamb stock

Large handful of grated parmesan

Knob of butter and splash of milk for the mash

Salt

Pepper

preparation 5 mins • you cook for 16 mins • total time 51 mins

Serves 2

Watch a 30 second preview of my cook-along video below

If you cannot view the video below, click here to download QuickTime from Apple's website.

This is a great, tasty family classic. It's true that done badly it can be rather bland and evocative of school dinners (!) but my take gives it a delicious flavour with lamb mince, a little kick of Worcestershire sauce and the subtle taste of rosemary running through it. Top the pie with lovely parmesan mashed potato and you have a quick and easy, freezable dish that the whole family can tuck into. This is a two part recipe. In part one we start cooking the lamb. In part two we make the mash and bake the pie.

Large pan of salted boiling water for the mash

Large frying pan/wok for the mince

1.5 litre pie dish

Colander to drain the potatoes

Potato masher

Fork

Before you start have all the ingredients out and ready. Put a large pan of salted boiling water on the hob. Put your frying pan/wok on a high heat and click here!

Before you start have your pie dish out with your masher, milk and butter. Now click here!

Put a large pan of salted boiling water on the hob and also your frying pan/wok on a high heat. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and allow to boil. The potatoes should take 15-16 minutes to cook until they're soft enough to mash.

While the potatoes are boiling add a teaspoon of oil to the other pan. Add in the carrot, red onion, rosemary & garlic. Stir together and cook for 2 minutes. Add in the mince next and break it up, stirring through until browned.

Add a good pinch of salt & pepper then 1 tablespoon of tomato puree. Stir thoroughly then add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce and stir again. Lastly pour in 300ml of lamb stock, stir it all together well and leave on the high heat to bubble away for 10 minutes. Turn your oven on to preheat at 190c.

After this time the liquid should have reduced considerably and the potatoes should be done (If the potatoes are ready before the mince has had a full 10 minutes then simply drain the potatoes and pop them back in the pan on the hob while the mince is finishing off).

Turn the heat off everything, drain the potatoes and pop them back in the pan on the hob on a low heat. Give them a good mash to get rid of any lumps. Add a knob of butter and stir until melted. Next add the milk a splash at a time stirring gently after each splash to loosen the mash. Keep adding milk until the potatoes are a little looser than you would normally eat them (this makes it easier to spread the mash on top of the pie). Add a pinch of salt and then add the parmesan and stir.

Now it's time to simply construct the pie. Pour the mince into the bottom of your pie dish and flatten out with the back of a spoon. Pop the mash on top in little dollops.

Wet a flat-bladed palate or butter knife then smooth the top of the mash. Lastly using a fork, make little peaks which will brown nicely in the oven.

Pop the dish onto a baking tray and into the oven for 20 mins until the little peaks have turned golden brown.

I hope that you enjoy it.

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