Italian Shepherd's Pie
For a stick-to-your-ribs main dish that's deliciously different, give this pie a try! The Italian sausage goes so well with mashed potatoes, and both get a new twist served in a crust and cut into wedges. My family is always glad to see me preparing this dish.
-Cindy Gage, Blair, Nebraska
SERVINGS
|
6-8
|
CATEGORY
|
Main Dish
|
METHOD
|
Baked
|
PREP |
20 min. |
COOK
|
50 min.
|
TOTAL
|
70 min.
|
INGREDIENTS
- 1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 cup (8 ounces) cream-style cottage cheese
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups warm mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoons butter, melted
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
DIRECTIONS
Line unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Bake at 450° for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove foil; set aside. Reduce heat to 350°.
In a skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink; drain well on paper towels. Place cottage cheese and egg in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in potatoes, sour cream, oregano, salt and pepper.
Place sausage in pastry shell; top with potato mixture. Drizzle with butter. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until set. Sprinkle with cheese; let stand for a few minutes until cheese is melted. Garnish with tomatoes. Yield: 6-8 servings.