Turk-ish Pie (Healthy Recipe Experiment)

Turk-ish Pie

Video HERE

Cottage and Shepherd's Pie* are classic comfort foods, but they are relatively high in fat and carbs so I have been trying to develop a healthier option using turkey... I'm not quite there yet, but this is my working recipe.

*Have you ever wondered about the name? Shepherd's pie is pretty much self-explanatory, being made with lamb, but how does 'cottage' equate to beef? I actually did some research on this (I had a free hour) and discovered that the 'cottage' comes from fork marks made in the potato topping, which is supposed to look like the straw thatched roof of an old-fashioned cottage... you learn something new every day!

Ingredients: (This makes enough turkey 'ragu' for 4 individual pies, or 1 big one in a baking dish roughly 20x30cm 8x12"*)
1 Red Onion, chopped
2-3 Carrots, chopped
1-2 Celery sticks, chopped
1/2 Yellow or Orange Pepper**
4-6 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Large-ish Potato, chopped slightly smaller than the sweet***
4-500g Turkey Mince
1 Low-Salt Chicken Stock Cube
1tbsp Cumin
1tbsp Garam Masala
2tsp Turmeric
1tbsp Dried Thyme
1tbsp Dried Savory or Oregano
1/4 tsp White Pepper
1-2tsp Garlic Powder
1/2tsp Dijon Mustard
2tbsp Tomato Puree
Splash Red Wine
1/2 - 1tsp Chili Flakes
Nutmeg
Cup of Frozen Peas
75-100g Feta Cheese****
1-2tbsp Low-Fat Spread

*This 'ragu' also goes well with pasta - wholewheat ideally - or brown rice, or even spooned over a jacket potato.
**Pepper and red onion add a slight sweetness, which balances the bitter edge of celery and replaces my usual squirt of tomato ketchup - all the veg in this recipe will give you at least 3 of your 5-a-day.
***I always peel sweet potatoes, their skins tend to be rather ratty, often concealing large spots, but leave the skins on carrots and regular potatoes (unless you're roasting them) to retain vitamins.
****I am not adding salt to this ragu, so the cheese provides a flavour burst instead.

Method:

1. Prep and chop your vegetables.
2. Put the potato into a pan with a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Once tender, drain and mash with the low fat spread. Season with pepper and nutmeg, then set aside.
3. In a wide frying pan put the carrot and celery, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook until almost dry then tip into a bowl.*
4. Cook the onion in a little oil until well browned, then add the turkey.
5. Break up the mince and cook until almost dry - turkey releases a lot of water - before adding half the cumin and turmeric. Stir through and cook until fragrant.
6. Put the stock cube, cumin, turmeric, herbs, pepper, garlic, mustard and puree into a jug and pour on 400ml boiling water. Stir to dissolve then leave to steep for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add the carrot and celery - and any remaining water - to the mince. Stir well, then cook until dry before adding the stock and bringing to a boil.
8. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes before adding the chili and wine.**
9. Cook for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the pepper and peas and cook for 2 minutes.
10. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining garam masala and spoon into oven-proof dishes.
11. Crumble the cheese on top, then spoon on the potato and smooth over the surface.*** If you want you can add a sprinkling of breadcrumbs for a better finish, or fork over the mash.
12. Set the pies aside until ready to bake.
13. Bake at GM7 (200C) for 30-45 minutes, depending on size.

*You don't have to simmer the carrot and celery if you cut it fine enough, but we prefer chunkier veg which needs to be part-cooked. You can do this in one pan if you have the time and patience, I prefer to have 2 pans running - start the simmering and onion together and the veg is usually ready to tip into the meat at about the right time.
**If you want this spicier you can add the chili with the stock, and/or add 1/4 - 1/2tsp chili powder.
***Feta doesn't really brown like cheddar does, but it does melt slightly and I think it's better to have it oozing through the ragu rather than plonked on the top.