You might be surprised – as we were when we moved to Ireland – that pastel de papa is one of our cherished recipes. It makes you wonder how we can have much in common, even when we’re from such different countries. As we always say, food has a unique way of bringing us all together. Take this cottage pie, for example. It’s a beloved traditional dish in both Ireland and Argentina, and a true cultural staple. No matter where you’re from – whether you’re Irish, Argentinian or anything else – we think you’ll find comfort in it. We’re excited to share our family’s version of this classic with you.
Serves 10–12
3 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp sweet paprika
1kg (2.lb) beef mince
400ml (1 2/3 cups) tomato passata
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
FOR THE MASHED POTATO TOPPING:
2kg (4½lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into medium-sized pieces
1 tsp salt
110g (½ cup) unsalted butter, diced
120ml (½ cup) milk
1 tsp ground black pepper
a pinch of ground nutmeg
TO SERVE:
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 200°C fan (400°F fan).
This is how we make the mashed potato topping, but feel free to use your own family recipe if you like. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water by at least 3cm (1¼in). Add the salt and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Drain in a colander, then return them to the saucepan and allow them to steam dry. Add the butter, milk, pepper and nutmeg and mash together while the potatoes are still hot. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat. Once the oil is good and hot, add the onions and red pepper – they should sizzle when you add them to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for just a moment, as it can easily burn.
Add the chilli flakes and sweet paprika and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the beef mince and tomato passata and season with the salt and pepper. Break up the mince with the back of a wooden spoon and cook for about 15 minutes, until the beef is nicely browned.
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes, then stir in the chopped hard-boiled eggs.
To assemble, spread half of the mashed potatoes in the bottom of a large baking dish. Add the filling and spread it out evenly, then cover with the remaining mash. Run the tines of a fork along the topping to help it crisp up a bit in the oven.
Cook in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the filling is starting to bubble up around the edges and the topping is starting to turn golden brown. Serve straight to the table. We like to grate over some Parmesan.
From Blasta Books 14: TANGO by Facundo Rodulfo and Pam Neumann
