If you are a lover of shepherd's pie, today's recipe will either disappoint or thrill you.  I changed the spices rosemary, thyme and basil to cloves, cinnamon and cardamom.  I used a little garam masala in short.  I even threw a sprig of curry leaves for experiment and what do you know, it did quite well.  The only step I regret is not having drained the fat after browning the meat.  Else, I am delighted the way it turned out.

  I quite like Shepherd's pie.  The first time I had it at a friend's place was  a long time ago.  In Kerala, I doubt we were getting minced meat at that time and therefore she cooked and then ground the meat for the pie.  It was good but the texture of the pie was like that of pulled pork in sauce.  However, when cooked  with fresh ground meat its plenty different and I like it better.  Thereafter, I have had shepherd's pie in quite a few places and mostly pleased with them all.  Especially good, I  remember, is the one served at '13th floor' a restaurant in Bangalore.  Now, did I get that restaurant name right? I am talking about the one on MG Road.  The pie that evening was made with lamb and it was delicious. That is probably the last time I had pie outside home.

  About three or four years back I started cooking it at home using a recipe from an Australian cook book.  It's an old book and I had a photocopy from a friend.  A darn good one I dare say but cannot remember the name.  Now that I have been cooking a while, I finally created my own version today.  I am rather glad the way it turned out like I mentioned earlier.  Moist and spicy it's a meal in itself and I can already think of  possibilities with the left overs.  Enjoy!      



Ingredients:

For the first layer:
1. Minced meat (I used beef) - 3/4 lb
2. Onions - 2 small size chopped fine
3. Ginger - 1 Tbspn
4. Garlic - 1 Tbspn
5. Green Chilies - 5 - 6 thai
7. Paparika - 1/2 tspn
9. Black pepper - sprinkle
10. Curry Leaves - 1 Sprig
11. Garam Masala - 1/2 tspn
12. Tomato - 2 medium size chopped fine

For the Topping
Potato - 2 russet potato
Butter - 2 Tbspn
Sour Cream - 3 Tbspn
Milk - 2 to 4 Tbspn (use it accordingly when creaming)
Parmesan cheese - to spinkle on top
Paparika - to spinkle



Method:
1. Brown the meat in a skillet or any cooking vessel. Here, we are only looking for change of color of the meat from pink to brown
2. Oil will clear at this time unless you are using 100% lean meat
3. Drain some or all the fat
3. Add chopped ginger, garlic, onions and green chilies and continue to cook. Wait for cooked garlic smell and onions to be translucent
4. Add curry leaves and stir
5. Add paparika and pepper if you want it to be spicier or you may not use them also
6. Add 1 1/2 tspn of all purpose flour and stir into the meat and cook for a couple of seconds
7. Add chopped tomato and cook
8. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring to boil
9. I take around 20 minutes for the whole process from the time I start browning the meat
10. You may use 1/2 cup of beef broth too if you like. I don't, I think water is just fine.
11. Set aside



Topping:
1. Dice the potato and cook in about 3/4 cup of water
2. Check with a fork to make sure potato is well done and drain off any excess water or cook it dry
3. Add the butter and sour cream and whip using a blender.
4. Add salt to taste and milk to soften if the potato is too pasty. You do not want it running and not too stiff either.

Layering:
1. Butter a oven safe dish
2. Add the cooked meat and then the potato over it. Sprinkle cheese and paparika and cook in a preheated oven at 400 D for 20 minutes.
3. The meat mixture will boil and bubble at the sides and this is okay.



Server it with rolls, steamed vegetables or even with rotis.
This will serve 4 people.

Contributor: Sunitha

Calzone is a baked turnover served with marinara sauce at its side. It is of Italian origin, but you may improvise by changing its filling. Today, I have kept the filling as true to Italian as possible. However, I will definitely try an Indian puff filling later. In short, there is no end to the variations you can concoct.

We enjoyed this as an evening snack yesterday, but it was quite filling. So much so that we didn't eat any dinner. Therefore, enjoy it as a one pot meal or snack but either ways you will not be disappointed. It's delicious.

On a different note:

Today is festive because of a pretty little girl,
she was born on this day a few years back.
Her stories and spirit she lends this blog.
She is Nami's daughter, I wish her a very happy birthday!

M- God Bless!



Pizza Base:

I have used the recipe from our blog given here. This will make 8 Calzones.
1. Leave the pizza dough to rise to double in size, approximately 2 hours and go on to make the filling



Filling:
Chicken Breast - 1 big
Onion - 1 medium size
Tomato - 1
Garlic - 4 cloves
Peas - 1/2 cup
Capsicum - 1/4 to 1/2
Green Chilis - 3 nos (optional)
Seasoning - a generous dash
( Mrs. Dash Extra spicy seasoning)
Antipasto - 1/2 cup (this was a mixture of cured artichoke, black and green olives and bell pepper)
Olive Oil - 1 Tbspn
Cheese - 1/2 cup (mix of parmesan, Asiago and Romano)
Egg white - of 1 egg



Method:
1. Clean and chop chicken into tiny pieces
2. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions and saute, followed by garlic
3. Once the onions have become translucent add the chicken pieces and saute till it turns white
4. Add chopped tomato, seasoning, peas and salt about 1/4 tspn and saute
5. Keep the vessel covered and cook for 10 minutes or until chicken has cooked through
6. Add the capsicum stir in and cook for a minute and add the antipasto and stir in and remove from heat

Preparing Calzone

1. Once the dough rises, which takes about 2 hours, punch it down and divide into 8 equal parts
2. Roll each part into discs as much as you can roll out. About 1/4-1/2 inch thickness
3. Spoon in the filling, sprinkle over 1 Tbspn of cheese on one half of the disc.
4. Lightly apply water to the edge of the disc
5. Lift the other half over to cover the filling and edges of the disc meet. With a fork seal the calzone
6. Beat an egg white and using a pasty brush do an egg wash over the calzone
7. Bake in a pre heated over for 360 D F for 10 minutes or until the calzone is golden brown on top


Serve with marinara sauce as dinner or enjoy like you would a savory snack.

Contributor: Sunitha