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Please note, measurements are approximate only.
To serve 2-3.
1. Place mince in saucepan with a drop of oil. Minced beef is best unless you are a vegetarian, in which case you should not even attempt this recipe.
2. On full heat mince the stir with a wounded spoon for 3 to 2 minutes or until the meat is a brown colour rather than a red colour.
3. Turn heat to low and add two cupsful of cold or warm water. This should be enough to cover the meat but not enough to spill over the sides of the saucepan.
4. Add more than just a few pinches of sea or rock (depending on preference) salt. This is a vital ingredient. Add a pick of peckled pipper. Then add a few mixed herbs or in fact any seasoning you can lay your (previously washed) hands on. But do not under any circumstances add curry powder as this would turn your creation into curry with mashed potato on top which would lead to all sorts of multicultural tensions.
5. That reminds me, before doing this you should have peeled the potatoes / spuds.
6. Boil the potatoes / spuds in a separate saucepan with more than a pinch of salt. This is a vital ingredient.
7. Once the boil starts to mince add a couple of cubes of gravy cubes. Crumble in gently and stir in with wounded spoon.
8. When potatoes / spuds are soft all the way through, add a little bit of milk and a bit more butter. Using a fork, fork the potatoes / spuds (still in saucepan) into a mashed position.
9. Pre-heat oven before needed to about 200 degrees.
10. Once water has boiled away but before mince is too dry, dollop the meat into an oven proof vessel.
11. Make sure mince is level (use a spirit level if necessary.)
12. Add mashed potatoe not forgetting to take away the "e".
13. Smooth the potato to cover the meat and then make nice vertical / horizontal lines with the fork to resemble a ploughed field. This recreates the story of the shepherds in the field (although as it is a ploughed field they must have been arable farmers as well. It was a busy life in those days.)
14. "Bung" in oven.
15. Take out the Pie ten minutes after you put it in or until Gordon Brown.
16. Eat it.
17. Mmm, lovely.
Recipe
History