How long does it take to make Shepherd's Pie?
Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish, cover with a layer of mashed potatoes and bake in an oven preheated to 200°C (390°F) for 20–30 minutes, until the mash starts to brown.
2 hr 6 minTotal
46 minActive time
1 hr 20 minSetting
Step by Step
| # | What to do | How long |
|---|
| 1 | Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) | 12 min |
| 2 | Peel the potatoes and cut into similar-size pieces | 3 min |
| 3 | Cook the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water covering it by about 2 cm, 20–25 minutes from the boil | 22 min |
| 4 | Drain and return them to the hot pot over low heat for a minute: the excess moisture evaporates | 3 min |
| 5 | Heat the milk and butter to just below boiling | 5 min |
| 6 | Mash the potatoes with a hand masher, gradually adding the milk and butter | 1 min |
| 7 | Season with salt and stir briefly | 1 min |
| 8 | Heat the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat | 3 min |
| 9 | Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then | 6 min |
| 10 | Raise the heat to medium-high and add the meat. Press it flat over the bottom and leave it for 2–3 minutes without stirring | 2 min |
| 11 | Break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 5–7 more minutes, stirring | 6 min |
| 12 | Add the tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper and bring to a boil | 5 min |
| 13 | Serve hot 0 | 30 min |
| 14 | Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish and level it | 1 min |
| 15 | Cover the meat with a layer of mashed potatoes and furrow the top with a fork | — |
| 16 | Bake 25 minutes | 25 min |
How to Tell It's Done
- until a fork goes into it easily
- until there are no lumps
- until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges
- until a brown crust forms
- until no pink is left and the meat browns
- until the mash turns golden
Tips
- Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
- Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
- Brown ground beef in the pot without pressing it: leave it as one 'cake' for a few minutes until a brown crust forms, then break it into chunks. Deep browning = deep flavor.
- The slower the sauce cooks, the thicker it gets and the better the flavors blend. 20–30 minutes make a quick meat sauce; an hour and a half to two hours over low heat make a rich Bolognese.
Common Mistakes
- The milk and butter go in hot and in small portions: cold liquid cools the mash, and too much liquid makes it runny.
- Mash by hand, not in a food processor or blender: the blades release starch and the mash turns gluey.
- Add a pinch of sugar or half a grated carrot to a tomato sauce. The natural sugar balances the acidity. Do not add baking soda: it changes the texture and the taste.
- A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
- Spread the mash over the meat carefully, so the layers don't mix.
More Ways
- Furrow the top of the mash with a fork before baking.
- Made with beef, the dish is called cottage pie in Britain, and with lamb, shepherd's pie.
The full recipe: Shepherd's Pie →
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