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Shepherd’s pie with cheesy leek crouton topping

We’ve topped this classic British favourite with a cheesy, leek-on-toast topping – great for soaking up the lamb sauce.

We’ve topped this classic British favourite with a cheesy, leek-on-toast topping – great for soaking up the lamb sauce.

Ingredients

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Heat a glug of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry the carrot and half the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt for 10-12 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and fry for another minute, then stir in the tomato purée and lamb mince. Fry, stirring, for 5 minutes until the mince has browned, then add the lamb or beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer over a low heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Fry the rest of the leeks in a splash of olive oil for about 7 minutes until soft, then set aside. Lightly toast the slices of bread.
Spoon the mince mixture into a 1.3 litre baking dish and top with the toasts. Sprinkle the toasts with the leeks and the grated gruyère. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling, covering the dish with foil if it starts to brown too quickly. Serve with a scattering of parsley leaves (optional).