Sheperd's pie

900 g potatoes

500 g minced beef

200 ml meat broth

250 g grated Parmesan cheese

180 ml milk

150 g sauté vegetable mixture (50 g carrot, 50 g celery, 50 g chopped onion)

1 minced garlic clove

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tomato concentrate

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pinch cinnamon

1 pinch nutmeg

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

herbs (a bay leaf, thyme and rosemary)

80 g frozen thawed green peas

45 g butter

Parmesan cheese flakes

salt and pepper

Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until they are soft (use a fork to pierce them and check they are ready); Drain them, mash them in a potato masher by dropping the pulp into a bowl, add butter, Parmesan cheese and milk, mix well, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the meat, and brown it over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, separating and stirring with a wooden spoon, until well browned. Add the sauté vegetable mixture, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for another 7-9 minutes. Add garlic, spices, and cornstarch; mix well and add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato concentrate, herbs, and hot broth.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, turn on the oven to 210°. Remove the herbs and add the green peas. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mashed potatoes over the meat and level them with the back of a spoon. Bake the pie in the middle part of the oven for 15 minutes, and let it brown a few minutes under the grill until golden.
Remove the pie from the oven, garnish with Parmesan cheese flakes, and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.



