Shepherd's Pie - Northern European Recipe

Shepherd's Pie

🌍 Northern European, British Difficulty: ●●○○○

🍳 Equipment: Pie dish, fork

The original shepherd's pie from Mrs. Beeton — made with cold mutton and mashed potato, baked until golden. The potato top may be roughened with a fork for a rustic look or smoothed and notched like a pastry crust.

Ingredients

• ½ lb of cold mutton
• 1 lb of mashed potato
• 1 oz of butter or dripping
• ½ pint of gravy or stock
• 1 teaspoonful of parboiled and finely-chopped onion
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Prepare meat — Cut the cold mutton into small thin slices.
2. Prepare potato — Melt half the butter or fat in a stewpan. Add the potato, season with salt and pepper, and stir over the fire until thoroughly mixed and hot.
3. Assemble — Grease a pie dish. Line the bottom thinly with seasoned potato. Put in the meat, sprinkling each layer with the chopped onion, salt, and pepper. Pour in the gravy.
4. Top — Cover the dish with the remaining mashed potato. For a rustic appearance, score the surface in every direction with a fork. For a smoother look, level with a knife, notch the edges, and brush with egg yolk.
5. Finish — Dot the remaining butter or fat on top in small pieces. Bake in a moderate oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the surface is well browned.
6. Serve — Serve hot, directly from the dish.

Tags: mutton, mashed potato, onion, gravy · Source: Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861)