Greek-Style Shepherd's Pie

A close up of a serving of Greek Shepherd's Pie on a plate next to a fork.

4.34 from 3 votes

Geek Moussaka, Shepherd's Pie, and Cottage Pie inspired this mashup recipe. With layers of rich beef sauce, velvety eggplant, and creamy feta mashed potatoes, this show-stopping dish is beyond comforting. Serve for a special night in, or wrap up and freeze for a friend in need.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 35

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings:

Author: Ruth Bardis

Ingredients

For the Meat Sauce

Extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground clove
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15 ounce) tomato puree
1 cup red wine
3/4 cup water
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons sugar

For the Fried Eggplant

Extra virgin olive oil, for frying (about 1/4 cup)
2 small globe eggplants (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch slabs
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt

For the Potato Mash

6-7 medium russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), peeled and cut into eighths
Kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup whole milk
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

For Assembly

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

Make the Meat Sauce

Render the beef. Coat a large pan with olive oil and heat over medium. Add the garlic and swirl until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add the beef and use a wooden spoon to break it up and brown it. Cook the meat until the juices have evaporated and the oil surfaces, about 10 minutes.
Season the meat. Add the salt, pepper, paprika, ground cinnamon, and ground clove. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and cook for 3 more minutes.
Finish and simmer. Add the tomato puree, wine, water, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, bay leaves, and sugar. Cover and simmer over low heat for 35–40 minutes, ensuring the juices are mostly evaporated. If there's too much liquid, keep cooking until it's evaporated. Set the sauce aside to cool.

Shallow-Fry the Eggplant

Heat the oil. Coat a nonstick frying pan in a thin layer of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and heat over medium.
Brown and crisp the eggplant (in two batches if your pan is small). When the oil is shimmering, add the eggplants, sprinkle with the rosemary and season with a good pinch of salt. Drizzle a couple more tablespoons of olive oil over the eggplants. Cook for a few minutes on both sides until the eggplants are soft and golden. They will shrink in size. Add more oil if they start to dry out.
Drain. Transfer the fried eggplant pieces to paper towels and aside.

Make the Potato Mash

Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Season generously with salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to let the potatoes simmer until they’re soft when pierced with a fork, about 35 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will become mushy.
Mash the potatoes. Drain and add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and use a potato masher to mash while the potatoes are still hot.
Flavor the potatoes. Add the olive oil and half of the milk. Continue mashing until well combined, then gradually add more milk until the mashed potatoes reach a creamy, lump-free consistency. Be sure to add the milk slowly to control the texture and adjust as needed. Mix in the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Cover and set aside.

Assemble and Bake the Pie

Get ready. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Layer. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves from the meat sauce. In an 9X11-inch baking dish, spread half of the sauce to cover the bottom of the dish. Then layer half of the eggplant over the meat and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese on top. Repeat this process with the remaining meat sauce, eggplants, and 2 tablespoons parmesan.
Top. Spread the potato mash over the top. Finally, crumble on the feta cheese and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese.
Bake, then broil. Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes, or until the top turns golden. Place the pie under a hot broiler added golden color. Mine takes about 10 minutes, but broiler temperatures very greatly. Keep a close eye to avoid burning!
Serve. Use a spatula to divide and serve hot.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and paprika used in this recipe.
Best consistency for the potatoes: The ideal texture should be velvety, creamy, and free of lumps, but it should also not be dry or runny. It is best to use a hand masher. A mixer, if not careful with the amount of time it is mixing, can make the mash gummy.
Storage: Store leftover cooked Greek Shepherd’s Pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 350°F until heated through. To freeze:

- Assemble the unbaked pie and allow it to cool completely.
- Cover with aluminum foil or cling wrap and place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Defrost overnight in the fridge, then remove the foil or cling wrap and bake as instructed in the recipe.

3 Tips to Avoid a Soggy Greek Shepherd’s Pie

Cook the meat sauce enough to reduce the liquid. If the sauce is too juicy, it will seep into the potato mash and lose its distinct layers. It will also spill out of the baking dish when cooking.
Allow the meat sauce to cool a little before adding the potato over the top. Otherwise, the mash will sink slightly.
Avoid the temptation to add too much milk to the mash. A rich and decadent mash will have a good texture that does not sink or seep into the mince when you place it on top.

Nutrition

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