Ratatouille Shepherd's Pie

By á-7571

Adapted from French Comfort Food. Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 3 TBS olive oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 large red bell pepper, stem and seed removed
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 medium carrot, finely diced
• 1 medium eggplant, stem removed, chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of chopped canned tomatoes, or 3 small fresh tomatoes, cored and cubed
• 2 TBS tomato paste
• 2 TBS flour
• 6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 TBS butter
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere or sharp cheddar cheese, divided
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef

Details

Adapted from Www.katieatthekitchendoor.com

Preparation

Step 1

1.Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until soft and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes. Add the bell pepper, leaves from the rosemary and thyme, carrot, and eggplant and saute until beginning to soften, another 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix the tomato paste and flour together in a small bowl, then stir into the ratatouille mixture until fully incorporated. Let sauce cook until eggplant is tender, about 20 minutes.

2.While the sauce is cooking, place the quartered potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Season generously with salt, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain potatoes. Add butter and milk to potatoes and mash or blend potatoes until very smooth but still stiff enough to hold their shape, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more milk if you'd like the potatoes to be smoother. Stir 1 cup of the grated cheese into the potatoes and set aside.

3.Preheat the oven to 400°F and lightly oil a 9x13 casserole dish. Spoon the sauce evenly over the bottom of the dish. Wipe out the saute pan and return to medium heat, then add the ground beef to the pan. Cook until browned all over, about 8-10 minutes. Drain the grease from the pan, then spoon the cooked beef evenly on top of the sauce. Next, spread the mashed potato mixture evenly over the top of the beef, using a spatula to smooth it out to meet all the edges. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese on top of the casserole, then place the casserole dish on a baking sheet (to catch any bubble ups) and place in the oven. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.