Old Fashioned Shepherd's Pie

I do not have the exact measurement of the ingredients, but my Mom made it like this and before her my grand-maman made it the same way, so here it is if you care to try. PATE CHINOIS (our shepherd's pie)

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1  clove garlic, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup  gravy (from a previous roastbeef if possible)
• 4  large potatoes, boiled, mashed with salt, butter, savory and milk
• 2  cups corn (enough to cover the meat)
•  salt
•  pepper
•  thyme
•  savory
•  paprika

Directions

1. In a frying pan that can go in the oven, saute the onions and the garlic until wilted, remove. Add the beef to the pan and cook it until done. Remove the fat. Return the onions and the garlic, add salt, pepper and thyme, add the gravy and stir evenly.
2. Cover the whole thing with corn.
3. Spread the hot mashed potatoes on top of the corn, making grooves.
4. put little dashes of butter all over and sprinkle some paprika all over.
5. Set in the oven about 1 hour at 300F or until the potatoes are all brown and crispy all around the rim We use an iron frying pan and it's just great.
6. The longer you leave it in the oven, the better because all the flavours marry and it is just nice. You can lower the heat in order to leave it in longer.