This week, we are making a dish I had many times as a child, a Shepherd's Pie! It was a weekly staple in my family which everyone enjoyed. It's a filling, delicious, and hearty dish that is great for a cold winter evening.
A lot of people confuse this for a Cottage Pie, or use the names interchangeably, and while they are quite similar there is one main difference - Shepherds Pies are made with mince lamb or mutton, and Cottage Pies use mince beef. The rest of the recipe is pretty much the same, so if you like, you can substitute the lamb for beef for an equally tasty dinner !
There is some controversy on where the Shepherds/Cottage Pie originated. Since I ate this many times as a child here in Ireland, I always believed it was traditionally Irish. However, there are a lot of people who believe it came from Britain. It's hard to find an exact source of where it came from - the internet seems pretty divided on the issue - but since this was a dinner I ate growing up, I like to think it's an Irish classic ! It's generally accepted, though, that the Cottage Pie was first made around the 18th century as a way to serve leftover meat and vegetables.
The dish is a hearty meat and vegetable filling, topped with crusted mashed potato. It is very versatile - you can add any of your favourite vegetables, such as leeks, or mushrooms. Today, however, I'm making it like my mother did and using onions, carrots, and peas, as well as some smoked bacon for some extra flavour!
 30 minutes |
 45-60 minutes |
 4-6 |
