Shell Cottage Shepherd's Pie | Harry Potter Inspired Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep potatoes from sinking in cottage pie? ›

To get really smooth, creamy mash, use a potato ricer or sieve. To stop the mash sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato. Freeze in individual ovenproof dishes for an easy meal for one.

It just sinks to the bottom, disintegrates and turns into slop. I'm not expert buy I would say your filling isn't thick enough or your potato needs bulking out with cheese. I'd say either your mash or cottage pie sauce isn't thick enough.

The name "cottage pie" was first used at the end of the 18th century. It was around that time that the poorer people of Britain, people who lived in cottages in the country, started using potatoes as an everyday food. Originally, a pie made with any kind of meat and a potato topping was called a "cottage pie".

The two English terms have been used interchangeably since they came into use in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, although some writers insist that a shepherd's pie should contain lamb or mutton, and a cottage pie, beef.

Residual moisture from the potatoes will drip into the beef below as it cooks, and too much of it will cause the potatoes to eventually sink. Aside from ridding your potatoes of excess moisture before you mash them, it also helps to cool the beef down, BBC Good Food shares.

After 10 minutes, stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce, then use a slotted spoon to scoop out the meat and vegetables, leaving the majority of the liquid behind in the pan (don't worry, there'll still be enough gravy in the pie itself if you use a slotted spoon). This will be your gravy.

The cornflour is used to thicken the mince, if you don't have any, you can continue without, reduce it for longer, or add a little plain flour. Remove the bay leaf, and spoon the mixture into a pie dish – I generally try to keep the ratio of potatoes to beef mixture about 60/40.

How do you keep shepherds pie from falling apart? The eggs in the mashed potatoes help keep the pie together. You should also make sure to spread the potatoes and press down a bit.

It's called cottage pie in the U.K. because they use beef and in Ireland since the shepherds tend sheep, it's shepherd's pie. No doubt, the English put out an excellent cottage pie, but in Ireland it used to be a delicacy since the Irish couldn't afford beef they repurposed any unused veggies and meat.

A classic cheese-topped cottage pie, with a dash of Heinz ketchup to make the beef extra tasty.

What is a fun fact about shepherd's pie? ›

According to the Oxford Companion to Food, once upon a time, Scotland made its shepherd's pies with pastry instead of mashed potatoes. Indian cooks once considered shepherd's pie to be a perfect dish for tiffin (a word used to mean a light snack in British India).

If meat is difficult for your loved one to chew, try making a shepherd's pie with lentils instead – an ideal option if you're looking for soft food recipes for the elderly. Cooked lentils have a softer texture and take on flavours well – they're also lower in fat and higher in fibre than beef or lamb mince.

The dish originates from the British Isles, but some might argue that it is an Irish dish by origin. The name "Shepherd's Pie" was first recorded in an 1877 cookbook. In this same cookbook, it was noted that the dish was of Scottish origin. During the period between the 18th and 19th centuries, money was very tight.

Many people believe that the peasant housewives invented the pie as an easy way to repackage leftovers from their Sunday roast. The Shepherd Pie is thought to originate from Ireland and the northern parts of England.

A layer of frozen peas! I let the mince mixture sit for a few minutes and cool, add in a layer of frozen peas and then put the mash on in scoops before spreading them out - never sinks!

Cut the potatoes into rissolettes and blanche them (i.e. cook them briefly, not to full doneness). Use the water you used in the soup and put the potatoes back in when you go to warm the soup again for serving. Since they're cut fairly small, they should be just about done without being mushy when you go to eat.

Wrap them up in a foil packet, sealing them tight and place on top of your soup or stew, then cover and simmer your stew for however many hours you'd like, or place in the oven for a few hours.