PASTEL DE PAPAS (MINCE AND POTATO BAKE)

SERVES 4 Preparation: 15 min Cooking: 40 min Baking: 15 min

MASHED POTATOES 500 g medium

potatoes salt and freshly ground

pepper 40 g butter 60 ml (4 T) full-cream

milk MINCE 30 ml (2 T) olive oil 25 g butter 1 medium white onion,

finely chopped 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 ripe medium

tomatoes 7 ml (1½ t) tomato

paste 500 g beef mince 7 ml (1½ t) paprika 100 ml dry red wine 1 bay leaf 5 ml (1 t) ground cumin 50 g sultanas (optional) 3 spring onions, green ends included, trimmed and finely chopped salt and pepper 125 ml (½ c) beef or

chicken stock 6 green olives, pitted

and halved 2 hard-boiled eggs, each carefully cut into quarters and then halved 45 ml (3 T) grated

Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish. 1 Mashed potatoes Peel and quarter the potatoes. Steam or boil with a little salt until soft. 2 Once cooked, drain well and allow to stand, covered, for a few minutes. 3 Mash with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper. 4 Mince Heat the oil and butter in a pan and fry the onion, chillies and garlic until the onion is translucent. 5 Immerse the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes to loosen the skin. Peel and chop finely. 6 Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan and cook until the tomatoes are soft. 7 Add the beef mince, paprika, red wine, bay leaf, cumin, sultanas (if using) and spring onions and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary. 8 Add the stock and reduce the heat to low. Cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. 9 Put the mince in the prepared ovenproof dish and dot with the olives and eggs (be careful not to crumble the eggs). 10 Spread the potatoes over the mince and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. 11 Bake for 15 minutes until heated through and the cheese has melted.