Mini Shepherd's Pies

Delicious appetisers that can be made up to 2 days ahead. Adapted from a recipe I found in the Austrlaian magazine 'New Idea'. This recipe makes 45 Mini Shepherd's Pies. When making this, I'll omit the tomato paste as the spices in it disagree with me. Instead, I'll use 2 teaspoons dried Australian Bush Tomatoes. Worth tracking down if you can. VERY tasty! I'd suggest only adding the lemon juice if you lke citrus flavours. This recipe could also be used for making a single Shepherd's Pie or perhaps two Shepherd's Pies, depending on the size of your dishes. You could then also omit the pastry. If making larger Shepherd's Pies, remember to adjust the cooking time appropriately.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 45 Mini Shepherd Pies

Ingredients

• 1  small  brown onions (for Australians) or 1  small yellow onion, finely minced (for Americans)
• 2 -4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  leek, thoroughly washed, finely chopped, use only the white and light green section, the coarse green sect (see Notes below)
• 1 -2  cup mushroom, finely sliced
• 800  g ground lamb or 25 1⁄2 ounces ground lamb
• 1⁄4 cup tomato paste (see note above)
• 400  g tomatoes, diced (just under 13oz)
• 1 -2  teaspoon lemon juice (optional ( if using drain the equivalent from the canned tomates)
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts (optional)
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 5  sheets  shortcrust pastry
• 60  g unsalted butter, melted (2oz)
•  fresh chives, finely chopped, to garnish

• POTATO TOPPING

• 470 -500  g  leftover mashed potatoes (15oz-16oz)
• 1  egg yolk
• 1⁄2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. PREPARING THE PIE FILLING: Heat a large non-stick pan; add the onion, garlic, leek, mushrooms and minced lamb/ground lamb and cook until the lamb is browned; drain any excess juices from the pan; stir in the tomato paste (or dried Australian Bush Tomatoes) diced tomatoes lemon juice and pine nuts, if using; season with pepper and salt; bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened; transfer to a large bowl; cover and refrigerate until cold.
2. PREPARING AND FILLING THE PASTRY CASES: Using an 8cm-wide/3 inch cutter cut out 9 rounds from each pastry sheet - 45 rounds in all; place the rounds on a flat surface and flatten slightten slighten slighly with a rolling pin; place the rounds about 3cm /11/4 inches apart, on oven trays lined with baking paper; spoon 1 tablespoon of the lamb mixture in the centre of each round, leaving a 1cm/1/2 inch pastry edge; fold up the edges of the pastry, overlapping the folds tightly to secure the filling.
3. PREHEAT THE OVEN to 200°C/400°F/6 gas mark.
4. MAKING AND ADDING THE POTATO TOPPING: Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl; spoon the potato topping into a large piping bag fitted with a 1 cm/1/2 inch fluted nozzle; pipe small rosettes on top of each pastry round to partially cover the mince filling; drizzle the potato and pastry with the melted butter.
5. COOKING THE MINI SHEPHERD PIES: Cook the Mini Shepherd Pies in a hot oven (200°C/400°F/6 gas mark) for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown.
6. SERVING THE MINI SHEPHERD PIES: Garnish the pies with fresh chives and serve hot.
7. NOTES: If you have any filling left over, save it for making a toasted sandwich. If you have made these Shepherd's Pies ahead, reheat them in a hot oven for 15 minutes before serving them. The dicarded coarse leaves from the leek and any excess tomato juice can be saved for making Recipe #135453.