Shepard's Pie With An Italian Twist

This is by far my new favourite dinner - a non-traditional Shepard's Pie using cauliflower instead of potatoes, which is healthier and in my opinion, much tastier. The 'Italian twist' was invented when I ran out of stock and used a tin of tomatoes instead, then found the flavour so delicious that I've kept on doing it ever since. And in keeping with the Italian theme, I use grated Parmesan with the cauliflower mash and Italian herbs such as oregano, basil and thyme with the meat. For dairy-free simply omit the Parmesan, it's still really tasty without.

Shepard's Pie With An Italian Twist

• 1kg minced lean beef
• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 100g of finely chopped veg (I used a frozen mix of diced onion, carrot and celery)  
• 400g/1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan (or more, depending on how cheesy you want it!)
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1 tsp of Italian herbs (oregano, basil and thyme) 
• Salt and pepper for seasoning 
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C
2. Chop the cauliflower into small florets then add to a big pot, fill with water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender.
3. Whilst the cauliflower is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan then add the beef. Season and cook meat through on a medium heat. When the meat is browned, add the veg, herbs and tomatoes and cook on a high heat for 5-8 minutes to let the liquid reduce. 
4. When the cauliflower is ready, drain the water and either add the cauliflower to a blender or return it to the pot, also adding the Parmesan and tbsp of butter. Then use a masher or hand blender to create the mash. (Blending will create a much smoother texture than using a masher.) 
5. When the meat is cooked and the liquid has reduced, add the contents to an oven dish. I recommend using a strainer to make sure the excess liquid is removed before adding it to the dish, as too much liquid can spoil the recipe. 
6. Using a spatula or knife, smooth on the creamy mash over the beef, covering gaps well.
7. To create a crispy top, score the mash with a fork by drawing diagonal lines across it in opposite directions.
8. Put on the top shelf of the oven and cook for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. 

Serves 4-6

This is a really tasty, healthy and satisfying meal that's easy to make (a lot easier than I've probably made it sound.) I can imagine this is also a good way to sneak extra vegetables into your child's diet as the cauliflower is disguised as potato and the cubed veg is well hidden in the beef and tomatoes! You could also skip step 8 and cover the dish in cling film or with a lid, and refrigerate or freeze to save for another day's meal. Enjoy! Pin It Now!