Shepherd’s Pie

Prep: 20 minutes              Bake: 30+ minutes

Since I have known my fiancé and his family, Shepherd’s Pie has been a common dinner dish at family gatherings and holidays. Shepherd's Pie is an English dish, traditionally made with lamb but here in America it is typically made with ground beef. Shepherd's Pie is essentially a casserole (or pie), lined with cooked meat and vegetables, topped with mashed potatoes, and baked. I have begged a certain family member for her recipe, since it is one of my fiancés favorite dishes, but I have been unsuccessful to get my hands on her family recipe (his aunt claims if she gives it to me that we would no longer come over when she makes it) So I searched the internet for a recipe that I thought was similar to hers…so here it is! Enjoy! 

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground round beef

1 onion chopped

1-2 cups vegetables - chopped carrots, corn, peas

1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (3 big ones)

8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)

1/2 cup beef broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 Store bought pie crust at room temperature

Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

Cheese of your choice (optional)

The process

1. Peel and quarter potatoes; boil in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes)

2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt 4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick) in large frying pan.

3. Sauté onions in butter until tender over medium heat (10 mins). Put frozen veggies with the onions and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. 

4. Add ground beef and sauté until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper, worcesterchire sauce and half a cup of beef broth. Cook, uncovered, over low heat for 10 minutes, adding more beef broth as necessary to keep moist.

5. Mash potatoes in bowl with remainder of butter, season to taste. Add a touch a milk for fluffy potatoes. 

6. Roll out piecrust into each pie tin and spoon in beef and onions into tin. Distribute mashed potatoes on top. Rough up with a fork so that there are peaks that will brown nicely. 

7. Cook in 400 degree oven until bubbling and brown (about 30 minutes). Broil for last few minutes if necessary to brown. Add cheese the last two minutes of cooking. 

8. Enjoy!