Shepherd's Pie (Argentine-Style)
Ground beef sautéed with onion, bell pepper, raisins and olives, topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked until golden. The classic Sunday dinner in Argentine homes.
- 800 g (1.75 lb) ground beef
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce or purée
- A handful of raisins (optional)
- A handful of pitted green olives, chopped
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
- Salt, paprika and cumin, to taste
- Oil Mashed potatoes
- 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) potatoes
- 200 ml (¾ cup) hot milk
- 50 g (3.5 tbsp) butter
- Salt and nutmeg, to taste
- Grated cheese, for the topping
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1
Sauté the onion and pepper
Heat a splash of oil in a large skillet. Sauté the chopped onion and bell pepper over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes.
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2
Brown the meat
Add the chopped garlic and the ground beef. Cook, breaking up any clumps, until the meat is browned and the liquid has cooked off.
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3
Season the filling
Add the tomato sauce, salt, paprika and cumin. Cook 5 more minutes so the flavors come together.
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4
Add raisins, olives and egg
Take off the heat and stir in the raisins, olives and chopped hard-boiled egg. Set aside.
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5
Make the mash
Boil the peeled, cut potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain, mash while hot, and mix in the hot milk and butter until creamy. Season with salt.
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6
Assemble the pie
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). In a baking dish, spread the meat filling and cover completely with the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top with a fork to create ridges.
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7
Bake until golden
Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the surface is golden. For a faster golden top, finish under the broiler for a few minutes.
- Scoring the mashed potato surface with a fork before baking helps it brown evenly and get crispier.
- The raisins and olives are optional, but they're the classic Argentine touch: a sweet-savory contrast in the filling.
- You can assemble it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake.