The humble potato is the backbone of Irish culinary tradition. This classic recipe is a pie without any pastry. Instead, the beef and vegetable filling is topped
with a golden crust of luscious mash potatoes making it very Irish indeed!!!
Ingredients:
For the Mash:
1 pound of Yukon gold potatoes (3-4 depending on size), scrubbed clean
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
3/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Beef Filling:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pounds of medium ground beef
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
3/4 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Salt & Pepper
Method:
Peel the potatoes and chop into large chunks. Place potatoes in a large pot along with the garlic cloves and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain and return to the pot. Heat the butter and milk in a small saucepan and add to the potatoes. Season with the salt and pepper. Mash until the potatoes are smooth and fluffy. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside.
Add olive oil to a large pot. Add the onions and sauté on medium heat until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add in the ground beef and continue to cook until meat is completely browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and coat the meat completely.
(This will help to thicken the sauce when the beef broth is added.) Cook for 1 minute. Then add in the beef broth, the Worcestershire Sauce, and ketchup. Give a good stir to combine the ingredients thoroughly. Add in the mixed vegetables. Reduce the heat to medium/low and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened and the vegetables are heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the meat/vegetable mixture into an 8 inch square oven-to-table dish. Cover the top with the mash potatoes.
Preheat the oven to 375F. Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until the heated through.