Cassie Best’s rösti-topped lamb & rosemary pie
When I was growing up, my mum did all the cooking. With both parents at work, family food was never fancy, but always full of love. Midweek, we’d eat quick, simple food: bangers and mash, macaroni cheese, bananas and custard. At the weekend, I spent time in the kitchen with my mum making pies of every description: potato-topped fish pie for Friday night, creamy chicken pie, apple pie when Bramleys were ready for picking, steak and kidney suet pudding for my granddad. The one that never appealed, though, was shepherd’s pie – until Mum created this rösti-topped version. The chunks of lamb (you could also use mince) give it body, but it’s the cheesy topping that captured my heart.
SERVES 4 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 3 hrs 35 mins MORE EFFORT ❄
750g lamb (use shoulder, leg or neck), cut into large chunks
2 tbsp plain lour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 large rosemary sprigs, needles picked and inely chopped, plus a few small sprigs
1 tbsp tomato purée
200ml red wine
500ml lamb or beef stock
1 tbsp redcurrant jelly
850g large loury potatoes (such as King Edward or Maris Piper), cut into large chunks
50g mature cheddar, grated 50g unsalted butter, melted
1 Season the lamb and toss in the flour. Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole over a high heat and brown half the lamb pieces on all sides. Transfer to a plate and brown the remaining lamb pieces, then remove to the plate. Set aside.
2 Reduce the heat to medium, add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onion and carrot for 10 mins, stirring regularly until soft and golden. Add the garlic, rosemary and tomato purée, and stir for 1-2 mins.
3 Return the lamb to the pan and add the wine, stock and redcurrant jelly. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins, or until the lamb is tender. (Alternatively, tip into a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hrs, or cook in a pressure cooker for 20 mins.) Once fully cool, the lamb stew will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, or frozen for two months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating until piping hot.
4 Tip the potatoes into a pan, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 mins until softened slightly but still holding their shape. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then grate using the coarse side of the grater. Tip the potatoes into a bowl with the cheddar, half the butter and plenty of seasoning. Mix to combine.
5 Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Transfer the lamb stew to a baking dish (ours was 20 x 30cm). Scatter the potato topping over the lamb, and poke a few small rosemary sprigs into the topping. Brush over the remaining butter and bake for 35-40 mins until the topping is golden brown and the lamb stew is bubbling at the edges.
PER SERVING (6) 607 kcals • fat 35g • saturates 17g • carbs 32g • sugars 5g • ibre 4g • protein 32g • salt 0.5g