Are you ready for Saint Patrick's Day??? I love my Irish heritage so each year we do something special for the holiday. In the past my mom made corned beef and cabbage, but since my hubby and kids don't really like the meal I wanted to come up with something that everyone would enjoy.
I attended a Scottish-Irish festival awhile back and they had the yummiest Irish Shepherd's Pies. I decided to try to replicate the deliciousness and here is the result! It is a little bit time consuming so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to make it - probably an hour and a half.
Irish Shepherd’s Pie
You can make 4
individual pies using ramekins or 1 large pie using a 9” pie plate.
Crust
11/4
cup all-purpose flour
1/4
tsp salt
1/3
cup butter (I freeze my butter ahead of time and then grate it into the flour
with a cheese grater)
4-6 tbs cold water
**Pie Crust original recipe from theprairiehomestead.com**
Filling
& Topping
1 lb ground beef
Salt & Pepper to season beef to taste
¼ cup finely chopped onion
½ can beef broth
1 tbs cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water for thickening
½ cup frozen peas
½ cup frozen or fresh chopped carrots
4 – 5 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1” pieces
1 tbs butter
3-4 tbs milk
Paprika
Instructions
Heat oven to 475°. Combine flour and salt in large bowl;
cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles
coarse crumb. Mix in enough cold water with fork until flour is moistened and
forms a ball. Place ball in a lidded dish and refrigerate.
Take peeled, cut potatoes and place in pot of hot water
to boil. They will be done and ready to
mash for the topping when the pierce through easily with a fork.
In a small pot add carrots and peas, cook on medium with
a tiny bit of water until tender.
Begin browning beef.
Add salt and pepper and onions cook until meat is done. Add beef broth and the water/cornstarch
thickening mixture. After the broth
thickens, I add the peas and carrots and continue to cook on low until
everything else is ready.
Roll out ball of dough on lightly floured surface into
11-inch circle. Fold into quarters. Place dough into lightly greased 9-inch pie
plate; unfold dough, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust to
1/2 inch from edge of pan; prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork and
place in the oven for 10 minutes.
Drain potatoes and mash with butter and milk until
smooth.
Remove the crust from the oven and pour the beef mixture
onto the bottom. Top with mashed
potatoes and sprinkle a tiny bit of paprika on top if you like. I usually pop it back in the oven for about
10 more minutes.
I hope your family enjoys this amazing Irish meal as much as we do!
Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!