Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb and Matbucha

When we need a really comforting dish, I make shepherd's pie. This all-in-one dish always hits the spot with kids and grown-ups alike. We like minimal ingredients and big flavors around here, and this hits all the marks.

A little tip: if you are also in charge of food prep in your house, double the meat layer, freeze and use as a bolognese sauce.

Serves 4
1 medium onion, diced 
3 carrots, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10-ounce) jar Signature Matbucha or Matbucha with Olives & Mint 
1.5 lb ground lamb or beef
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 4
salt

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Potato layer: Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, approx 20 minutes. Test by poking a potato with a knife to make sure it goes in with no resistance. Once they are ready, drain and mash using a potato masher or fork. Taste for salt and set aside.

Meat layer: Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Heat a big frying pan and add the onion, carrot and 3 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beef/lamb using the back of a spoon or fork, breaking up the meat and cooking until it is no longer pink. (if your ground beef or lamb was especially fatty, you can drain the excess fat at this point so you won’t end up with a pool of fat when it comes out of the oven). Stir in the matbucha, taste for salt and cook for one more minute until everything  comes together to a coherent ‘meat sauce’.

Assembly: Place the meat mixture In a  10” x 7” casserole dish. Dollop the mashed potatoes and spread them out over the top with a knife. If you want, you can create a design with a fork over the surface of the potatoes. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 12 -15 minutes.  Bake until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling. (if the potatoes didn't get any color at this point, place the pie under the broiler for an additional 5-10 minutes.) 
*Photo  shown here is double the serving