Simple Lamb Potato-Topped-Pie

Simple Lamb Potato-Topped-Pie

Ever since I was a child, I've disliked the flavour of lamb and whilst I have continued to try it as an adult, I just can't get on board with it. 

On the flip-side, my other half Glen, and our daughters Bridget and Beatrice adore it and miss out on me cooking it very often so if I'm heading out for an evening without them, I do try to prepare a lamb dinner for them. 

Some of the meals I do for them include tagines, stews, curries, hotpot and casseroles and they love a shepherd's pie too. 

This dish was absolutely thrown together in a mad dash whilst also getting ready for an evening at the theatre, and my lot absolutely devoured and asked when I would be making it again and while it is incredibly simple and quick to pop together, I thought it would be worth sharing for any other parents that always look for easy mid-week dinners for all the family.

I make no apology for the fact that I used a jar of Dolmio Creamy Lasagne White Sauce here, I do often make a bechemel sauce, but I always keep a jar of that in the stock cupboard, it tastes good and sometimes a shortcut is needed. Incidentally the Marks & Spencer Bechemel is good too.

The below serves four people.

Here's how:

• 300g lamb mince
• 4 King Edward potatoes (other potatoes will do just fine)
• 1 white onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 carrots
• 2 sticks celery
• 3 tbsp frozen peas
• 1 jar of Dolmio White Lasagne Sauce
• 1 tbsp grated Grana Padana or other hard cheese
• 1 Oxo cube
• 1 Knorr Lamb Stock Pot
• 1 tbsp red wine
• Salt and Pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• Fresh nutmeg

Firstly peel the potatoes and cut into slices, about 1/2 cm thick. Wash them well and then place in a saucepan, pour over water just boiled from the kettle to cover them, add a pinch of salt and cook on a medium heat for five minutes. Drain and set aside.

Turn the oven on now to 180-200 degrees to pre-heat and prepare the filling.

Firstly dice the onion and mince the garlic and add to a large frying pan with a drizzle of oil to saute. Once soft, add the lamb mince, and use a spatula to gently break down the mince in the pan so it doesn't all clump together. Season now with salt and pepper and once the mince has begun to brown, add the cinnamon too.

In the meantime, peel and dice the carrot and finely slice the celery and add to the mince once it is browned. 

Now crumble over the Oxo cube and add the rosemary and frozen peas and stir well. Make up the Lamb Stock Pot - about 150-200ml and pour over with the dash of red wine and allow to cook down for twenty minutes until the gravy has thickened a little. 

Once you're happy with the consistency of the lamb, pour or ladle it into an oven-proof dish and cover the bottom. 

Simple Lamb Potato-Topped-Pie

Now layer the potatoes across the top, to make the potato topping, and then pour over the lasagne sauce to completely cover. 

For a final flourish of flavour scatter over the grated Grana Padana and finely grate over some fresh nutmeg before placing into the over for 30 minutes or until the cheese is fully melted and the top has some lovely golden brown patches. 

Simple Lamb Potato-Topped-Pie

Enjoy!

Here are a few other pie recipes that I've shared on here and which are great autumnal and winter warmers for all of the family:

Chicken and Mushroom Potato Pie
Mediterranean Makeover Cottage Pie
Squash and Goat's Cheese Pie
Chicken & Mushroom Pot Pie
Beef & Lentil Filo Pie
Steak & Ale Pot Pie
Steak & Lentil Cottage Pie