Main Dishes
Easy Shepherd’s Pie
Description
Easy Shepherd’s Pie, a rich, savory casserole of ground meat and vegetables baked with mashed potatoes on top, was one of my favorite dinners as a kid (mostly for the potatoes). Today I love it even more for the hearty filling—and the quick prep time!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter diced
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup milk or half-and-half
- 1 large egg yolk
- For the Meat Filling:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 pound lean ground beef or ground lamb
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup less sodium beef broth or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 1 (10- to 12-ounce) bag frozen peas and carrots no need to thaw
Directions
- Boil the potatoes for the topping: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan. Add enough cool water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring to boil over high heat. As soon as the water is boiling, uncover, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle, steady simmer, until potatoes are fork tender, about 12 to 16 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. If the potatoes are very moist, heat the saucepan over low, shaking it occasionally, until any liquid on the surface of the potatoes has cooked off, about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
- Boil the potatoes for the topping: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a medium saucepan. Add enough cool water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring to boil over high heat. As soon as the water is boiling, uncover, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a gentle, steady simmer, until potatoes are fork tender, about 12 to 16 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan. If the potatoes are very moist, heat the saucepan over low, shaking it occasionally, until any liquid on the surface of the potatoes has cooked off, about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
