A woman has shared her recipe for a sausage, red onion gravy and mashed potato pie, which is perfect for cold autumn evenings and comes together in just one dish
Stay snug and toasty this autumn with this comforting mid-week dinner. As the temperature drops and the nights draw in, it’s time to turn to those things that make us feel warm and comforted after a long day at work. One of the best ways to heat up after braving the chill is with a piping hot meal, and at this time of year, many of us start rustling up some autumnal British classics – think Sunday roasts and cottage pies.
Arguably, one of the most quintessentially British dishes is the humble pie and mash. While you can have it served with veggies and gravy, the most traditional version originates from London and consists of a minced beef pie, mashed potato, and a parsley sauce known as liquor. You may also want to try this six ingredient recipe which is one of the most popular on the New York Times.
This meal is so culturally significant that campaigners are currently lobbying for it to be awarded Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status like other British classics, including Bramley apple pies and Cornish pasties.
Variations of pie and mash are popular across Britain, and if you’re on the hunt for a recipe that puts a unique twist on the classic, then look no further. This recipe has been praised by some as the “nicest pie they’ve ever eaten”.
Shared on TikTok last year by Amy Sheppard, known @amysheppardfood, the recipe shakes things up a bit by combining the pie and mash into the same dish. It might sound unusual, but many have hailed it as one the tastiest things they’ve ever cooked – and it’s easy to make.
In her video, Amy said: “Imagine a big bowl of creamy mashed potato, topped with sausages followed by a big puddle of red onion gravy. Really comforting, right? Now imagine that same dinner but with golden, crispy puff pastry on top. That is what my sausage, red onion gravy and mashed potato pie is, and I’m not sure any dinner will ever be as comforting.”
Ingredients
- 8 cumberland sausages
- 2 large red onion finely sliced
- 5 cavolo nero leaves, tough stem removed and finely sliced
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 550ml chicken stock
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Leaves from 3 sprigs of Thyme
- 350g frozen mash
- 1 sheet of puff pastry
- 1 egg beaten
Method
Begin by frying the sausages in a splash of oil until they lose their pink colour and start to turn golden.
Put them to one side and add the onion to the same pan for five minutes, stirring frequently, before throwing in the cavolo nero and cooking for a further five minutes.
Mix in the flour until it vanishes, then gradually pour in the stock “a little at a time”, ensuring it reaches boiling point before adding more, until everything is in the pan. Then, incorporate your honey, Dijon mustard, and thyme, and season with salt and pepper according to preference.
Slice each sausage into six portions and return them to the pan.
Transfer the mixture into a large ovenproof dish and prepare your mashed potato following packet directions. Use an ice cream scoop to create uniform balls of mash to position on top of your sausage mixture, before allowing to cool and then covering with pastry.
Preheat your oven to 190C (fan), brush the pastry surface with beaten egg for a golden appearance, and bake for 25-30 minutes. Viewers of Amy’s video were absolutely stunned by the recipe, which she dished up in the footage alongside some broccoli.
Many said they were desperate to have a go at making the pie for themselves, while others revealed they’d already given it a whirl and were singing its praises.
One person commented: “That looks perfect for the winter weather we’re having right now!”
Meanwhile another chimed in: “Saw this this morning, immediately got ready and got the bus to Asda to buy the ingredients! Tea sorted!”
And a third shared: “I cooked it this evening. Possibly the nicest pie I’ve ever eaten, I’m in a food coma.”