I was planning to make Shepherd’s Pie recently and headed out to the store to pick up the ingredients. Mashed rutabaga is usually my topping of choice for this familiar comfort food, but when I couldn’t find it early in the fall season I started thinking about alternatives.
I did not want to use mashed potatoes, but when I looked in the pantry, it suddenly clicked. This was going to be a nice little twist on my usual Shepherd’s Pie.
I think the white and sweet potato au gratin topping makes for a guest worthy presentation, or a little extra love for any family dinner.
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
This is the same filling I use in my other Shepherd’s pie recipes. Check out my Shepherd’s Pie with Rutabaga, and my Shepherd’s Pie Ramekins.
- 8 oz. lean ground beef
- 4 oz. gluten free Italian sausage
- olive oil
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 cups gluten free frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots and corn…)
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 tbsp. gluten free Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup gluten free broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
- rice flour, for dusting
For the Topping:
- 1 white russet potato, sliced thin
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 tbsp. butter
- seasoned salt, to taste
- 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- paprika
- fresh Italian parsley for garnish
This post contains affiliate links.
Preparation:
I made the filling in a stainless-steel pan to give it a good browning. You can actually make the entire dish in one pan, but I’m going to finish it in this pretty pie plate. I wish I could tell you where I got it, it’s decades old but isn’t it perfect for fall?
Heat a little olive oil in the pan over medium low and add the ground beef and sausage, breaking up the meat with a spatula to brown.
Add the onion and the garlic.
Next add the vegetables (you can throw them in frozen). Cook for 4 minutes.
Clear a spot in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it toast for a minute before stirring it into the meat and veggie mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Next add the broth, along with the thyme and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 30 minutes uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Preheat the oven to 400º and transfer the filling to a pie dish coated with cooking spray.
Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes as thin as possible. Begin arranging the potato slices in a single layer over the filling in a circular pattern. 
Sprinkle with paprika, top with half the gruyere cheese and half of the parmesan.
Continue layering with the remaining potato slices, the rest of the cheese and pat with butter.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the foil (please use gloves and tongs!) and continue baking another 25-30 minutes until potatoes are soft. You can finish it off under the broiler for a few minutes if you like, for color. Garnish with Italian parsley and serve.
Oh, so good! I think this may be my new favorite.
Notes ♪♫ You can slice the potatoes with a knife, but using a mandoline for this task is a real time saver. Plus, all your slices will be uniform in size which means they will cook evenly.
[print_link]
Preparation:
If using a 9″ loaf pan, bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, testing for doneness after 1 hour. The original recipe instructions said 1.5 hours and it will depend largely on your oven and the amount of moisture in the fruit blend.
Have you ordered the new Bread Flour from Better Batter yet?
Preparation:
Place the dough ball in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for 12 hours.
In the morning, preheat the oven to 475º with 
Use a spatula to smooth it into a round shape.
Use a 
Transfer the dough, with parchment to the oven. Throw a few ice cubes onto the bottom of the oven and quickly shut the door. After the first 5 minutes throw in a few more ice cubes.
Cool completely on a rack then store in a plastic bag at room temperature. Wait 24 hours to slice.
This post contains affiliate links.
Note ♪
The next morning, drain and rinse again. Add back to the saucepot with COLD water, cover and turn the heat on low. Simmer gently for 2 hours.
Drain and rinse again and set the beans aside.
Heat olive oil in a stainless-steel skillet. Begin sautéing the veggies, beginning with the carrots as they take the longest to cook. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and stir frequently for 3-4 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a 
When the veggies are done, wipe the skillet clean and add the diced ham with a bit more olive oil.
Note ♫
Add the ham to the stock pot, and deglaze the skillet with a little beef broth, scraping up the caramelized bits at the bottom. Pour the liquid into the stock pot.
Next, add equal parts of chicken and beef broth, enough to cover the ham and veggies. Return the cooked beans to the pot, along with the bouillon, sage and thyme.
Simmer until the veggies are soft, then add the corn kernels in to heat through (adding the corn at the end of cooking gives the soup a little textural contrast to the soft beans and veggies).
Soup is ready to enjoy with gluten free crackers or bread. Leftovers (if you have any!) can be refrigerated for up to a week. Don’t worry though, it won’t last that long!
Notes ♪♫
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Work with one section at a time and keep the remaining dough covered so it doesn’t dry out. Start by rolling each section into a cylinder, like this.
Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. This is the secret to working with gluten free dough. Remember, it doesn’t stretch like gluten dough, but after a little rest it will be more cooperative. I repeated this process twice, before I finally was able to roll each section of dough into a rope, 3/4″ thick.
Use a 
Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper, and dust lightly with flour. Place the finished Orecchiette on the baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not cooking immediately.
Slide the Orecchiette into the water and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. They will float to the top.
