Recipe: Turkey and Black Pudding Potato Topped Pie

This is a recipe I made up last night and it's based on my mother's shepherds pie - although, in our house, that just means it's mince based and topped with mashed potato - it has no bearing on if it uses lamb, beef or whatever :).

Not fond of or can't get black pudding?
Now if you don't like black pudding or it's just not something you can lay your hands on, you could just sub in more mince, but I would recommend adding another stock cube and a dash of something like Worcestershire sauce to add to the flavour profile. It won't be the same, but it will be yummy.

Vegetarian?
To make this vegetarian is tough, but using a meat substitute mince in place of the turkey and black pudding, substituting vegetable stock cubes for beef ones, and using soy sauce to add to the flavour profile (FYI Worcestershire is not vegetarian) will produce something very tasty, but nowhere near the same :).

Gluten Free?
Black pudding contains cereals as part of the recipe, so most of them are not gluten free, but there are makes out there (for example The Fruit Pig Company).

Also check your stock cubes and ketchup, because many contain gluten.

Good news is, Heinz Baked Beanz are gluten free.

Batch Cooking
This is a big recipe, it will serve 7 possibly 8, but this is the perfect recipe for batch cooking and it will freeze really well, or keep in the fridge to be eaten over several days. It can be reheated in the oven, or in the microwave.

Serves 7-8
Prep Time - 30 min
Cooking Time - 50 mins

Ingredients

• 750g turkey thigh mince (breast mince is fine too, but thigh is much cheaper)
• 400g black pudding (British style blood sausage)
• 1 can (415g) Baked Beans (haricot beans in tomato sauce - Heinz are the best)
• 1 can (300g) Cannellini Beans (you can use any bean you fancy - adds to the texture and vitamins)
• 3 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 beef stock cubes (I use Oxo)
• 1.5 large carrots
• 100ml water
• 1.2 kg mashed potato (I buy mine frozen because it's quicker, but just do your mash as you would normally)
• 1 tbsp oil

Equipment

• Large frying pan or direct heat casserole dish
• Spatula
• Peeler
• Knife
• Grater
• Casserole dish(es) to make the pie in

For mashed potato from scratch

• Potato masher
• Large saucepan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F fan, 180C/350F non-fan, Gas Mark 4
2. Peel the carrots.
3. Grate one carrot with a fine grater.
4. Chop the remaining half carrot into tiny cubes (3 or 4 mm) 
5. Put the turkey mince in a large frying pan or casserole dish with the oil, over a medium heat and break up.
6. Crumble in the stock cubes and stir through.
7. Cook for a few minutes to seal the turkey mince.
8. Crumble in the black pudding and combine.
9. Fry until all the meat is cooked through.
10. Add the ketchup, baked beans, cannellini beans, carrot and water and stir through.
11. Cook gently until everything has come together and is hot, and the carrot has softened (the grated carrot will have virtually disappeared, but check the little cubes).
12. Taste to check it is to you liking, if it's too sweet Worcestershire sauce can bring that down for you, if it's not sweet enough add a little more ketchup.
13. Prepare your mash (if doing from scratch, peel and chop the potatoes into small pieces and boil for between 8-15 mins until tender, then drain and mash with a little butter and milk).
14. Divide your mince mixture between how ever many pie casserole dishes you are using and spread into an even layer.
15. Cover each mince layer with a layer of mashed potato.
16. Bake in the oven for 40 mins
17. Turn the oven up to 180C/350F Fan, 190C/375F non-Fan, Gas Mark 5 and bake for another 10 mins to brown the top.

Serve as is, or with a green vegetable of choice.

Reheating Instructions

Oven:
Cover with foil, put into an over at 160C/320F fan, 180C/350F non-fan, Gas Mark 4 for about 30 mins or until piping hot.

Microwave:
Place in a microwaveable container, cover with a plate or microwaveable lid, heat for 3 mins and check, then heat in 1 min intervals until hot.

P.S. Don't forget The Horror of Shakespeare - I'm posting a horror/paranormal drabble (100 word story) inspired by a Shakespearean quote every day through October.