‘The potato top is a most fitting way to enclose a rich stew like this’

I use lamb shoulder, which requires long and slow cooking, the type of cooking that keeps the kitchen warm.

Lamb and potato pie by Elizabeth Hewson. Photo: Nikki To / TWAM

At this time of year it’s easy to fall in love with a potato-top pie. The fall-apart, warming centre, oozing with rich tomatoey gravy, blanketed in a duvet of cheesy, cloud-like, golden mashed potato. My favourite part is where the two meet and merge, becoming one. It’s here the filling soaks into the potato, sogging it with its juices. All you need is a bowl and fork, no knife required. A pie like this is sure to make you feel warmer and a little happier.

Today’s pie stars lamb. It’s a take on a bloody Mary lamb ragu that I’ve been making for 15 years. I use lamb shoulder, which requires long and slow cooking, the type of cooking that keeps the kitchen warm. It starts with the holy Italian trinity – onion, celery and carrot – before being engulfed in a sauce made from canned ­tomatoes, red wine, stock, hardy herbs and the all-important bloody Mary flavouring, Worcestershire sauce. The potato top is a most fitting way to enclose a rich stew like this. ­(Although, you could take the very same recipe without the potato and stir it through eggy ribbons of pappardelle if it was pasta you were craving.)


For another warming recipe, try my sticky date and ginger beer pudding.

Green it up with some peas on the side. Photo: Nikki To / TWAM

Look at that crust. Photo: Nikki To / TWAM

Lamb & potato pie

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 kg boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 3cm chunks

• 1 large carrot, finely chopped

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons plain flour

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 200ml red wine

• 1 x 400g can whole tomatoes

• 250ml chicken stock

• 1 fresh bay leaf

• 2 sprigs rosemary

• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Potato top

• 1.2kg Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
• 150ml whole milk 
• 80g butter, unsalted
• 100g cheddar cheese, grated 

To serve

• Frozen peas with butter
• Tabasco, optional

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large casserole pot with a lid over medium-high heat. You will need to brown the meat in batches. Add about half of the lamb and brown for a good 7-10 minutes, turning only when the lamb has formed a golden crust and releases easily from the base of the pan. Once browned on all sides, remove and set aside on a plate. Repeat with the remaining lamb until all is browned and set aside. (The pie’s depth of flavour will thank you.)
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan. There should be enough fat from the lamb, but if not add a splash more oil. Add a pinch of salt and cook the vegetables down for 10 minutes. Return the browned lamb and its resting juices to the pan along with the flour, cooking for about a minute. Stir in the tomato paste and again, toss about the pan for another minute. Pour in the wine, stir and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer until slightly reduced, then add the tomatoes and stock. Use a fork to mash the tomatoes. Add the bay leaf, rosemary and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and a heavy grind of pepper. Cover with the lid; reduce the heat to low and cook for 1½-2 hours, until the meat is meltingly soft and can be pulled apart with a fork. Give it a stir now to ensure it doesn’t catch on the base.
3. When ready, remove and discard the herbs. Increase the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce the juices and thicken the filling. (You can also cook this covered in a 160C oven, but it will likely need a further 30 minutes in cooking time.)
4. Meanwhile, prepare your potatoes. Add them to a large saucepan and cover with cold water and a good pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 12-15 minutes or until soft. Drain and leave to steam dry in a colander for 10 minutes. If you have one, push the potatoes through a potato ricer back into the pan; otherwise, mash very well. Turn the heat to low and add the milk, stirring to prevent the potato from catching on the base of the pot. Add the butter and most of the cheese, stir, and season well.
5. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan-forced). Spoon the lamb filling into a 3-litre casserole dish. Top with mounds of mashed potato, smoothingit out with the back of a spoon and leaving craters across the top for texture and crispy bits. Finish with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the filling is piping hot and the potato is golden and irresistible. Heat frozen peas and top with a knob of butter.
6. Let the pie sit for 5 minutes before serving alongside peas and tabasco sauce.

Serves 6