Moroccan Spiced Shepherd’s Pie

Ingredients

For the topping:

400g boiling potatoes, peeled and quartered

200g sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered

Seasoning

50g butter

Splash milk or cream

Meat mixture:

1 tbsp oil

450g lean minced Welsh lamb

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 large onion, finely diced

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp fennel seeds

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 tbsp flour

300ml vegetable or lamb stock (more might be required)

2 tbsp tomato purée

25g pine nuts (optional)

Chopped parsley to serve (optional)

Method

To make the topping put the potatoes in cold water, bring to the boil, cook for 5 minutes and drain off all the water, place on the floor of the simmering oven to steam for about 25 minutes until soft (AGA Total Control and AGA60 owners may wish to use the floor grid)

While potatoes are boiling make up the meat mixture.  In a hot AGA pan fry the mince, onion and garlic and fry until browned. Add the spices and stir well, then add the carrots and flour – cook for a few minutes then add the stock and purée. Add the pine nuts, if using. 

2, 3, 4 and 5 oven AGA:  Cover with a lid and transfer the pan to the simmering oven for 25 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and then transfer its contents into a pie dish.

When the potatoes are soft add the seasoning, butter and milk. Mash until creamy.

Spoon or pipe the potato onto the meat mixture.

2, 3, 4 and 5 oven AGA:  Slide the dish onto the oven grid shelf set on the third runners down in the roasting oven and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the potatoes have browned.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley, if liked.

Conventional cooking:  Put the potatoes on to boil, on the hob, while potatoes are boiling make up the meat mixture.

In a hot pan fry the mince, onion and garlic and fry until browned. Add the spices and stir well, then add the carrots and flour – cook for a few minutes then add the stock and purée. Add the pine nuts.

Cook for 20 minutes, then transfer into a pie dish.  When the potatoes are soft, drain, add the seasoning, butter and milk. Mash until creamy.  Spoon or pipe the potato onto the meat mixture. Cook in oven for a further 15 minutes until the potatoes have browned.