Shepherd’s pie: the recipe for flan of Anglo-Saxon origin

There Chinese doughoh cottage pietranslated into Italian as “shepherd’s pie”is a blank typical of the culinary tradition Anglo-Saxon.

This hearty and tasty dish is based on minced lamb flavored with greenery and covered with a layer of plush mashed potatoes. Everything is baked in the oven to obtain a outer crust golden and crispy.

It’s a recipe for popular tradition whose origins date back to the end of the 18th century, when the potato began to spread in the United Kingdom and to be widely consumed, especially among the less well-off, given its nutritional value and its non-prohibitive cost.

Poor families originally prepared this dish with the remains of the roast covered with mashed potatoes and gave it the name cottage pie: the cottages, at the time, were the rural houses of the workers.

A dish of modest origin indeed tasty which has now spread throughout the world, although known by other names depending on the country. A real comfort, ideal to enjoy during a Celebration day or a winter lunch in the family.

Find out how to make shephred’s pie and, if you like this recipe, try other typical English dishes, such as chicken pie, traditional fish and chips and roast beef with gravy sauce, ideal to accompany Yorkshire pudding.

How to make shepherd’s pie

To make the shepherd’s pie, start by preparing the mash. Put the potatoes previously peeled and diced in a saucepan filled with cold water 1. Add salt to taste, cover the pan with a lid and cook until the potatoes are very tender: you can check if they are cooked by inserting a fork into them.

When the potatoes are tender, drain them, add the butter and the egg yolk. Pour in the milk little by little so as not to loosen the mixture, continuing to mix with a potato masher 2 or a hand whip. Season with salt and pepper and mix everything again.

Now turn to the preparation of the sauté: chop the onion 3 and garlic, then dice the celery and carrots. Make sure the vegetables are as similar in size as possible to promote even cooking.

Brown the onion in a pan with a drop of extra virgin olive oil, then add the celery 4.

Add the garlic and carrots 5. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat.

Add the minced lamb 6.

Season with salt and pepper, cook for a few minutes over medium-high heat 7, then add the flour. Take care to mix the meat a little at a time, avoiding turning it too often.

Pour in Worcestershire sauce and beef broth 8, taking care to dose the salt. To mix together.

Season everything with the chopped tomato puree, thyme and rosemary 9. Cook over low heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.

Add the peas ten and cook until the liquid is completely absorbed.

Transfer the mixture to the pan and compact with a spatula: the meat must be dry 11.

Pour the mashed potatoes over the meat layer 12.

Smooth out well with a spatula 13then use a spoon to decorate the surface with grooves.

Bake in a static oven at 200°C for about 25-30 minutes, switching to grill mode for the last few minutes. Remove from the oven, let the flan rest for a few minutes. 14.

Once cooled, cut the shepherd’s pie into slices and serve it to your guests 15.

Advise

You can add one sprinkled with parmesan on the surface of the mash for an even more golden and crispy crust.

storage

Shepherd’s pie can be stored A few days blanket and in the refrigerator; alternatively you can freeze it in portions and reheat if necessary.