An English casserole with beef and mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 450 g ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 300 ml hot beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mashed Potatoes:
- 350 g potatoes
- 350 g parsnip or parsley root
- 3 tablespoons milk
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- 60 g grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, cook for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring frequently.
- Add the ground beef, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until browned. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute.
- Pour in the hot beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook for 7-10 minutes uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the thyme leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Transfer the beef mixture to a small ovenproof dish (approximately 17 x 17 cm or 2-liter capacity).
- For the mashed potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes and parsnip (or parsley root) into medium-sized pieces. Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Cook covered for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
- Drain the vegetables, let them steam off for a moment, then add milk and ground nutmeg. Mash until smooth using a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef mixture in the dish. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Optionally, you can turn on the grill function for an additional 3-4 minutes at the end to further brown the top of the pie.
