High Country Pie

Serves: 4-6 Ready in: 2 hours

With its crispy potato topping this layered dinner dish is a family pleasing and affordable meal. It does need a long stint in the oven so why not make it while you are cooking tonight's dinner then keep it in the fridge for tomorrow, when it simply needs a reheat.

Ingredients

  • 5 medium potatoes peeled and thinly sliced and placed in a bowl of cold water
  • 500g beef or lamb mince
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 cups beef stock 
  • 4 tbsp tomato sauce
  • pinch of mixed herbs
  • 20g melted butter for greasing and glazing

For the sauce

  • 50 g butter
  • ¼ cup plain flour
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 cup of grated cheese

          Method

          Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a frying pan brown the mince pressing with a fork or potato masher to produce an even texture. Drain off any excess fat and add the chopped onion to the pan, continue cooking gently until the onion is soft.


          Add the Worcestershire sauce and flour, mix, then stir in the stock, tomato sauce and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

          While the mince mixture is cooking prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan melt the butter, add the flour and mix well with a whisk then add the milk a little at a time whisking thoroughly after each addition so the sauce is smooth and lump free. When all the milk is added simmer stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until thickened – 2-3 minutes, then add the grated cheese.

          To assemble the dish, grease a large casserole or lasagne dish with butter or cooking spray and cover the bottom with a layer of potato reserving ½ the potato slices. Spread the mince mixture over the potato layer, then pour over the cheese sauce. Arrange the remaining potatoes on top of the sauce and brush with melted butter.

          Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes – or until the potatoes are tender and the dish bubbling and dark golden. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

          Tips

          Bigger potatoes are easier to work with in this dish as they're less fiddly to layer.

           

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