Sheperd’s Pie (also called Cottage Pie) is a favorite in our home. The original Irish pie is made with lamb rather than beef, thus the name Sheperd’s Pie.

While there are many variations of this popular dish, I was intrigued to try Nora from Savory Nothings “best ever SHEPERD’S PIE.”

This is a bit labor intensive since everything is prepared from scratch. Maybe this is what intrigued me, or, it could have been the wine. Red wine always adds a bit extra flavor to beef gravy.

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Steps to make a shepherd’s pie:

1. Brown ground beef, then
2. Stir in diced vegetables and sauté until softened.
3. Stir in seasoning and flour, then stir in tomato paste.
4. Deglaze the pan with red wine, then
5. Add the broth, herbs and peas and
6. Simmer until thickened.
7. Cool the filling in a casserole dish
8. Then top with mashed potatoes and cheese and
9. Bake until golden and bubbly.

After baking for 20 minutes, I put it under the broiler to toast it up a bit before serving.

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Prepared and served with a Wente Cabernet Sauvignon, a semi-sweet red. A drier, more robust red would have given the dish a richer, more flavorful gravy.