Italian Shepards Pie Food

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove foil; set aside. Reduce heat to 350°. , In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain well on paper towels. Place cottage cheese and egg in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in potatoes, sour cream, oregano, salt and pepper., Place sausage in pastry shell; top with potato mixture. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand until melted. Garnish with tomatoes tossed with minced parsley if desired.

SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet cook the meat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate. Drain any fat remaining in the skillet.
• Heat the oil in the skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, covered, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Raise the heat to moderately-high. Add the mushrooms and thyme and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes longer. Return the meat to the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper and bring to a simmer being sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the peas. Pour the mixture into a 12-cup shallow baking dish (about 11 by 9 inches).
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Scrub the potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Arrange the potatoes in a steamer basket, and steam for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower to the basket and cook until the potatoes and cauliflower are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes longer. Mash the vegetables with a potato masher until smooth. Heat the milk, butter, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper and stir into the potato mixture.
• Spread the potato mixture on top of the meat and bake until heated through, about 25 minutes.
• Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Folate, Vitamin K, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Potassium, Zinc
• Good source of: Thiamin, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium, Phosphorus

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the marinara sauce, salt and pepper; cook and stir for 8-10 minutes or until thickened. Spoon into four 8-oz. ramekins or custard cups; set aside., In a small bowl, combine the flour, cheese, baking powder, salt and Italian seasoning. Stir in milk and butter just until moistened. Spoon dough over meat mixture; place ramekins on a baking sheet., Bake at 450° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked pies. To use, remove from freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 400°. Place pies on a baking sheet; cover edges loosely with foil. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

ITALIAN-STYLE SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 2-quart casserole or 11x7-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef, onion and carrots to skillet; sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is brown.
• Stir in mushrooms and pasta sauce. Heat to boiling. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread in casserole.
• Make potatoes as directed on pouch using water, milk and butter. Spoon into 8 mounds around edge of hot beef mixture. Sprinkle cheese over all.
• Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and potatoes are light golden brown.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE (ITALIAN PATE CHINOIS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven 375°F.
• Cook the potatoes in salted water until they are cooked. Drain them. Mash them with the oil or butter and season them with salt and pepper (or use your favorite mashed potatoes recipe!). Put aside.
• Take the sausages out of their casing and mix with the ground veal.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the peppers and the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add salt and pepper and oregano. Put in a bowl.
• Put back the frying pan on the stove and cook the veal and sausage meat until cooked. Drain the fat out of the pan.
• Put the meat at the bottom of a rectangular pan sprayed with Pam. Put the bell peppers and onion on top of the meat and, lastly, the mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with the Italian breadcrumbs.
• Put in oven for 40 minutes.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Place ground beef and sausage in a medium skillet.
• Cook until beef looses its pink color.
• Add tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and vinegar. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
• Stir in peas, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, boil potatoes in water to cover until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain and transfer to large mixing bowl.
• Beat in milk, cheese, butter and salt. Continue beating until smooth.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spoon meat mixture into 2 quart shallow casserole.
• Spoon potato mixture on top and spread evenly to edge.
• Bake until golden and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
• Let stand 10 minute before serving.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in large frying pan, drain grease.
• Add 1 Tbsp oil to pan, return beef to pan, add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and dried red pepper flakes.
• Fry until onion is softened.
• Stir in drained tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp each salt and sugar and 1/2 tsp pepper.
• Break up tomatoes with a fork.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring often for about 15 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.
• Meanwhile cook potatoes in boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain potatoes.
• Add butter, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Beat potatoes on medium speed of electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Then beat in egg.
• Fold in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
• Meanwhile seed, core green pepper and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.
• Stir into cooked meat mixture.
• Turn into a 9" square baking dish.
• Spread potato mixture evenly on top of meat mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
• Bake right away, or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
• Bake in the center of preheated 350 F oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until potatoes are golden tipped.
• If casserole has been refrigerated it may require an extra 15 minutes baking time.
• Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large skillet, cook onion and garlic until soft.
• Add sausage and cook until browned, then drain.
• Stir in tomatoes, eggs, oregano, caraway seeds, and 1 cup cheese.
• Mix well, and spoon mixture into unbaked pie shell.
• Mix potatoes with ½ cup cheese.
• Spoon or pipe potato mixture around outer edges of pie.
• Sprinkle with paprika, and place pie on baking sheet.
• Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
• Can be prepared ahead of time, bake when ready.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE 2

Steps:

• For meat filling, heat a large frying pan to medium-high heat. Add beef and pork and cook 5 minutes. Drain any excess fat off and return to pan. Add fennel seed, peppers, onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes more. Add 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, and tomatoes.
• Remove skillet from heat and stir in 2 Tbsp polenta.
• For Polenta, bring 4 cups of water and 1 1/2 tsp salt to a boil in medium saucepan. Add polenta in a thin stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook, still stirring, 3 minutes until polenta is medium-soft. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan.
• Heat oven to 350°F Grease a 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add meat filling to bottom of dish. Top with polenta and sprinkle remaining Parmesan over the top.
• At this stage the pie can be frozen (but bring to room temp first). Wrap well and put in freezer. When ready to cook, thaw in fridge overnight, then bake in preheated 350°F oven 25 minutes, and put under broiler 1 to 2 minutes to give a nice crisp crust.
• If serving that evening, bake in preheated oven 25 minutes, and broil under preheated broiler 1 to 2 minutes.