Middle Eastern Shepherd's Pie

Pimp up your ordinary shepherd'd pie with this Middle Eastern inspired fusion.

Warm, aromatic and full of flavour, this pie is a great alternative to the traditional shepherds’ pie.

INGREDIENTS

For the mash potato topping

• 3 lbs. Russet potatoes (or any good mashing potatoes), peeled and chopped into chunks
• 2 oz. unsalted butter
• 1-2 tbsp. milk
• 1 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• Salt to taste

For the filling

• 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 oz. carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp. tomato purée
• 1/2 tsp. chilli flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp. fresh mint, roughly chopped plus extra for garnish
• 6 fl. oz. potato water (carefully taken from the boiling pot of potatoes)
• 500g lamb mince
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Put the potatoes in a large pot of water. Place over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 20-25 minutes or until they become soft.
2. In the meantime, make the filling. Add 2 tbsp. oil to a large frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Add the ground cumin and paprika. Stir continuously until fragrant.
3. Next add the onions and cook until soft. Add the carrots and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes whilst stirring frequently.
4. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and cook until most of it has evaporated, then mix in the tomato purée, chilli, rosemary and mint.
5. Next, stir in the potato water. Reduce the heat to a simmer then cover the pan with a lid.
6. Check the potatoes for softness. Once cooked, carefully drain the potatoes through a colander. Put the drained potatoes back in the pot then add the butter and a little milk. Mash the potatoes with a masher until creamy and fluffy. Add a little more milk if necessary and salt to taste. Cover slightly and leave to cool to room temperature.
7. Return your attention to the filling. Place a separate shallow frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil to the pan, then once heated start to brown the lamb mince. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Once the lamb mince has been cooked through, add to the other pan with the onions and carrots, including any meat juices. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce starts to reduce and thicken slightly. After 30 minutes, remove from the heat and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.
9. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius, and prepare one medium sized baking tray or two oval pie dishes.
10. Add the filling then gently spread the mash on top. Glide the fork across the top to form ridges, the evenly sprinkle the cheese on top.
11. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese topping turns golden.
12. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with freshly chopped mint and serve!

For more INCREDIBLE recipes from lovely Ney check out her instagram on @neyskitchen.official