Shepherds Pie
This hearty pie fills the hunger gap in a most delicious and nutritious manner. The added chickpeas and sweet potato increases the overall fibre intake and adds lovely texture to this well loved dish. It’s a great way of getting kids and big folk too to eat different foods.
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Ingredients
500gm lean minced beef 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 beef stock cube (Knorr Swiss I like) 1 large onion finely chopped 1 clove garlic finely chopped 2 tablespoons tomato puree 1 teaspoon Steak seasoning 1/2 tin chickpeas (drained) 2 carrots peeled and chopped into very small pieces water For the Mash 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and chopped in to chunks 2-3 lbs potatoes peeled and chopped into chunks 1 clove garlic 2 tablespoons marg or butter plus some for dotting on mash milk or soya milk to loosen spuds salt & pepper to taste Prep.. In a large pan place the potatoes in and bring to the boil. Cook until tender. Rinse and drain. Add butter, milk(add bit by bit until texture you like) salt & pepper. Mash until smooth. Preheat oven to 200c/gas mark4 In a large frying pan add the olive oil and heat. Over a medium high heat start frying the onions and garlic until soft. Add the mince and brown the lot. Add the puree and steak seasoning stirring well. Add the stock cube and gently swish some water into the mix to create a liquid,just enough to make it moist. Add the carrots & chickpeas and keep stirring. It should be a rich tomato colour with a nice beefy gravy. Remove from heat and place the entire mixture into a large ovenproof dish. Spoon the mash over the top and dot with some small pieces of butter. Pop into the oven for 30-40 minutes until the top is nicely browned. I served it up with some green beans to boost the Folic Acid and VitaminC nutrient but it’s just as nice with big side salad ( and a large glass of red for Mama). Enjoy! *The leftover 1/2 tin of chickpeas Place the chickpeas on to a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Place in the oven underneath the pie and cook for around 30 minutes until crispy. A fantastic snack, just wait until they have cooled before munching as they are hot little minxes. I speak from experience! |