A warming shepherd’s pie

Busy days and cool nights mean the pressure is on to whip up a hearty family meal. Nothing could be easier, tastier or laden with hidden vegies than an old-school shepherd’s pie.

This recipe is really about making the two components well and combining them together to make a bowl of warming deliciousness.

If your family doesn’t like the flavour of lamb, you can use beef mince instead — just be sure to call it by its traditional name of cottage pie.

Try these three quick kid-friendly dinners >>

Shepherd’s pie

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 500 grams of minced lamb
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
• 1 tin of diced tomatoes (not drained)
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1 beef stock cube
• 2 tablespoons of plain flour
• 4 potatoes
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/4 cup of milk

Directions:

1. Add olive oil to a warmed frying pan and add the diced onion and carrots. Fry until translucent and softened.
2. Add the garlic and lamb and cook until browned through. Add the frozen peas and stir through for another minute.
3. Add the mixed herbs, tinned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, water and beef stock cube. Mix thoroughly and then carefully add in the flour, being sure to mix it in well without lumps. Stir until the mixture thickens and is bubbling. Remove from the heat.
4. Boil the potatoes until soft and then mash with the butter and milk.
5. In a ceramic oven-proof bowl, spoon in the lamb mixture and then carefully spoon over the mash potato, being sure not to mix it into the lamb. You can create patterns in the top of the mash if you like and then give it a little spritz with spray oil.
6. Bake the pie in the oven (pre-heated to 180 degrees C) for 20 minutes or until the potato top is golden.
7. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Other old family favourites

Pumpkin scones
How to make incredible pork fajitas
Lamb and feta stuffed zucchini