Shepherds' pie

From Freepedia

Shepherds' pie is a traditional English dish that consists of a bottom layer of minced (ground) lamb in gravy covered with mashed potato and (often) a layer of cheese. This is then baked in an oven. Often a favorite dish of institutional cooks keen on feeding large groups of people.

The mince is traditionally lamb (hence "shepherd") although many people prefer to make it with minced (ground) beef. A shepherd's pie made with beef is properly called a cottage pie. A similar dish made with fish instead of meat is called a fisherman's pie.

In North America, shepherd's pie is usually a layer of ground beef, a layer of corn and a layer of mashed potatoes. In Quebec, this variant is called pâté chinois.

• In England a popular short joke regarding Shepherd's Pie is a recipe which starts like this "To make shepherd's pie, do the following - get 2 shepherds and mince them"