Stay warm and cosy this autumn with this comforting mid-week dinner.
As the weather gets colder and the nights get longer, it’s time to start turning to things that make us feel warm and comforted when we get home from a long day at work. One of the best ways to warm up when coming in from the cold is with a nice hot meal, and at this time of year, many of us start whipping up the British classics – think roast dinners and cottage pies.
Arguably, one of the most quintessential British dishes is the humble pie and mash. While you can have it served with veggies and gravy, the most traditional version hails from London and is comprised of a minced beef pie, mashed potato, and a parsley sauce known as liquor.
In fact, it’s so culturally important that campaigners are currently calling for it to be given Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status like other British classics, including Bramley apple pies and Cornish pasties.
Variations of pie and mash are popular all over Britain, and if you’re looking for a recipe that puts a different spin on the classic, then look no further. This recipe has been hailed by some as the “nicest pie they’ve ever eaten”.
Shared on TikTok by Amy Sheppard, the recipe does things a little bit differently by combining the pie and mash into the same dish. It might sound controversial, but many have hailed it as one the tastiest things they’ve ever cooked – and it’s so easy.
In her video, Amy said: “Imagine a big bowl of creamy mashed potato, topped with sausages followed by a big puddle of red onion gravy. Really comforting, right? Now imagine that same dinner but with golden, crispy puff pastry on top. That is what my sausage, red onion gravy and mashed potato pie is, and I’m not sure any dinner will ever be as comforting.”
Ingredients
- 8 cumberland sausages
- 2 large red onion finely sliced
- 5 cavolo nero leaves, tough stem removed and finely sliced
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 550ml chicken stock
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Leaves from 3 sprigs of Thyme
- 350g frozen mash
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 egg beaten
The instructions for cooking the dish couldn’t be simpler. Start by frying the sausages in a drizzle of oil until they are no longer pink and are starting to brown. Set them aside and add the onion to the pan for five minutes, stirring regularly, before chucking in the cavolo nero and cooking for another five minutes.
Stir in the flour until it disappears, and then slowly add the stock “a little at a time”, making sure to let it come to a boil before you add more, until it’s all in the pan. Next, add your honey, Dijon mustard, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cut each sausage into six pieces and chuck it back into the pan.
Pour the mixture into a large ovenproof dish and cook your mashed potato according to packet instructions. Use an ice cream scoop to make even balls of mash to place on top of your sausage mixture, before leaving to cool and then topping with pastry.
Heat your oven to 190C (fan), brush the top of your pastry with a beaten egg for a golden finish, and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Commenters on Amy’s video were blown away by the recipe, which she served in the clip with a side of broccoli. Many said they couldn’t wait to try making the pie themselves, while a few said they already had and sang its praises.
One person wrote: “That looks perfect for the winter weather we’re having right now!” While another added: “Saw this this morning, immediately got ready and got the bus to Asda to buy the ingredients! Tea sorted!” And a third posted: “I cooked it this evening. Possibly the nicest pie I’ve ever eaten, I’m in a food coma.”
