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Turkish shepherd's pie

Jane Wenham-Jones from Just For Starters
Turkish spices add Mediterranean passion to this classic British dish

Turkish shepherd's pie

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the lamb and fry, stirring now and then, until the mince has cooked and browned. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

2. Mix together the cumin, paprika, curry powder, cinnamon and turmeric with the chopped coriander, yoghurt and tomato puree.

3. Add the spice paste to the browned mince, mixing well. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the red wine and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the basil and chopped tomatoes, mixing well. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water until tender; drain and return to the pan. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

5. Heat the milk in a small pan and add to the drained potatoes. Add the butter and mash until smooth. Mix in the spring onions and 55g of grated Cheddar. Season with freshly ground pepper.

6. Transfer the spiced lamb to an ovenproof dish. Top with the mashed potato, spreading it evenly. Run a fork across the surface of the mashed potato to add texture. Sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar.

7. Bake the shepherd's pie for 45 minutes until golden-brown. Serve with a green or Greek salad as a side-dish.

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Serves: 4

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 15 min

Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
450g minced lamb
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground paprika
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
4 tbsp chopped coriander
3 tbsp natural yogurt
1 tbsp tomato purée
50ml Red wine
a small bunch of Basil, torn
450g tinned chopped tomatoes
1kg Potatoes, peeled and chopped
150ml Milk
25g Butter
4 Spring onions, finely chopped
115g Cheddar cheese, grated
green salad or Greek salad, to serve