Lamb and Potato Pie Recipe

This pie has a crisp bread case, a filling of chopped roast lamb in a tomato sauce, and a creamy mashed potato and golden, melted cheese topping. We like to serve it with vegetables or a salad. Vegetables could be added to the filling, if desired.

The pie can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to cook. If cooked straight from the fridge, you will probably need to increase the cooking time.

Serves 4-6.

540g peeled potatoes, halved or quartered
35g butter
80ml (4 tablespoons) milk
Salt
60g (1/2 cup, very firmly packed) grated tasty cheese

Boil potato in a large saucepan until tender, drain. Mash potato with butter and milk until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and set aside until required.

20g butter
100g finely chopped onion (one small onion)
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
250ml (1 cup) chicken stock, or one chicken stock cube in 250ml water
40ml (2 tablespoons) tomato sauce
30ml (1 1/2 tablespoons) Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper
400g chopped roast lamb
6-7 slices white bread (toast/thick slice)
Extra butter, to butter bread

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees fan forced).

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion has softened. Add flour and stir over heat for about one minute. Stir in tomato paste. Add half the stock and stir until mixture is smooth. Repeat with remaining stock. Add tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper and stir until mixture starts to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in chopped lamb. Set aside until required.

Generously butter bread on one side. Line the base and sides of a 2.6 litre ovenproof dish with bread (buttered side down).

You will probably need to cut the bread so that it fits into the dish snugly and completely covers the base and sides of the dish.

Pour meat filling over bread and spread evenly.

Top with mashed potato. © exclusivelyfood.com.au

Sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the bread case and the top of the pie are golden. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au