𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

Ingredients

• 1 kilo of potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 splash of hot milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 kilo of  ground beef
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 10 pitted olives, chopped
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation of mashed potato

We begin by cooking the potatoes with their skin on (so that they do not absorb more water), until we pierce them and check that they are done. We remove them from the water and reserve. We need them to be tempered to remove the skin without burning us, about 5-6 minutes is more than enough, the skin will come off easily.

Cut the potatoes into cubes, season with salt and pepper to taste and mash them with the help of a fork. We want to obtain a homogeneous mashed potato, without lumps. You can also use a utensil to mash the potato. If you want a smoother puree, you can add a couple of tablespoons of butter, mixing them very well with the puree, so it will be creamier. We reserve.

Preparation

Step 1  Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Step 2  Cook the potatoes in boiling water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain very well and mash them together with the milk and butter until you have a uniform puree. Booking.

Step 3  Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add the ground beef and cook, stirring with a spoon, until it is evenly browned, approximately 15 minutes. Season with cumin, salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and add the olives and eggs.

Step 4  Pour the meat stew into a refractory, distributing it evenly. Cover with the mashed potatoes. Carefully trace lines over the mashed potatoes with the help of a fork. Distribute the pieces of butter on top.

Step 5  Bake for 40 minutes or until the top of the cake is lightly browned.

This specific preparation comes from Anglo-Saxon cuisine, where it is called “Cottage Pie” (rustic pie). When the meat used for its preparation is beef, then this meat pie is called cottage pie, but when lamb meat is used it is called shepherd’s pie or shepherd’s pie. You will even find variations, for example rice and meat cake, similar to this recipe but a little more balanced.