Crispy, Crunchy Shepherd's Pie | Recipeish | Gustus Vitae
- Yield: Serves 4.
- Time Estimate: 1 hour, including 40 minutes unattended.
- Storage Notes: Best if enjoyed the same day, will keep for another day covered and refrigerated.
- Difficulty: Easy.
Our favorite shepherd's pie 'recipe' is one that encourages experimentation and accounts for what's in the fridge - the only thing we're dead-set on is a wonderfully crunchy, crispy crust. Cracking though that crust, down into fluffly potatoes, then rich gravy-laced meat and the odd veggie or two, and lifting that whole beautiful mess up on your fork - Yum!
Ingredients (All approximate: work with what you have and like)
- 6 Cups day-after mashed potatoes
- 2 Sticks unsalted butter
- 1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Cup panko crumbs
- 2 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 4 Tbs Taste of Provence
- 1/2 Cup fresh parsley
- 3 Tbs Herbed Truffle Seasoning
- 1 1/2 Cups gravy (here's our go-to recipe)
- 3 Cups cooked ground beef, shredded chicken or turkey
- 2 Cups cooked mixed veggies, diced
- Equipment Required: Large Rectangular Ceramic Baking Dish
- Remove all ingredients from the fridge, and preheat oven to 350F.
- Cook ground beef/chicken/turkey, and roughly measure out quantities of all ingredients.
- Separate ingredients into oven-safe bowls and containers, and pop in the oven, working in batches if need be, for around 5-8 minutes, bringing up to room temperature.
- Make your gravy - we have an easy recipe here, but a simple roux enriched with milk will do just fine too.
- Use the 1/2 stick of butter to thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of a large rectangular baking dish, like this handsome one from Emile Henry.
- Place reserved 1 1/2 sticks of butter in a small bowl and microwave on high for 1-2 minutes to melt it completely.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together panko, Taste of Provence, 1 Tbs Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Herbed Truffle Seasoning, and Parmesan cheese.
- Pour over melted butter, and mix well to thoroughly combine.
- Begin assembling in layers: first veggies, then ground beef/chicken/turkey, then mashed potatoes.
- Take care to make sure the layers go all the way to edges, and completely fill the baking dish.
- Finally, top with Parmesan & panko mixture, sprinkling on a bit of extra Parmesan after layering.
- Pop in the oven and cook uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Increase heat to broil, and cook for a further 5-8 minutes, or until well browned, placing reserved gravy in the oven briefly to warm up as you do.
- Rough chop parsley, and reserve.
- Remove from oven and allow 10 minutes to cool: it's hard to wait, but doing this will give everything a chance to firm up a bit so it stays together when you're plating it.
- Serve, sprinkling over reserved Crushed Red Pepper Flakes and parsley, drizzle over gravy, and devour.