From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shepherd's Pie with minced (ground) beef.

Shepherd's pie is a traditional English dish that consists of a bottom layer of minced (ground) meat covered with mashed potato and then a layer of cheese.

The mince is traditionally lamb (hence Shepherd), and the dish was often made with meat left over from a Sunday roast. In North America the lamb is often replaced with minced (ground) beef. In Britain, 'shepherd's pie' is technically always made with lamb, and 'cottage pie' always with beef though in common usage shepherd's pie is used to apply to either.

The mince layer is traditionally made by browning the meat in a pan with finely chopped onions and then then simmered in stock. Other ingredients are often added, including garlic, chopped carrots, peas or other vegetables, and herbs such as rosemary or oregano). Often tomato puree and sometimes wine are added to the mix.

The topping is made from potato mashed with butter, to which cheese is sometimes added. For a decorative effective, the topping is sometimes piped onto the meat layer. The entire pie is then baked in the oven, until the topping is golden and slightly crisp. For extra richness and colour, an extra layer of cheese can be added on top.

• A similar dish made with fish instead of meat is called a fisherman's pie, or if in a cream sauce it is called "admiral's pie".

• Cottage pies are often available in Australia as a standard meat pie, with a layer of mashed potato replacing the usual pastry lid. This variant is also known and labelled as a potato pie or, in New Zealand, a potato top pie.

• In North America a variation on shepherd's pie, sometimes called Chinese pie or cowboy pie, is made with a layer of ground beef, a layer of corn and a layer of mashed potatoes. French Canadians call this variant pâté chinois. Peas and carrots are commonly mixed with or used to replace corn. In the northeast U.S., green beans are often used instead of corn, and frequently a layer of tomato sauce is added to the beef.

Shepherdess Pie with peas

• Shepherdess Pie is vegetarian version in which meat is replaced with a variety of beans, TVP, or mycoprotein products such as Quorn.

• Hachis parmentier is a popular French dish that's a close equivalent. It's more of a family dish than a restaurant favourite, and, like shepherd's pie, is often used to make leftovers more interesting.

• Midwestern Version - ground beef with cream of mushroom soup and green beans topped with mashed potatoes and baked until brown and crisp.

• Shepherd's Pie recipe at Wikibooks.
• Cottage pie