Spooky Shepherd’s Pie with Ghost Mashed Potatoes

This is the Halloween dinner that still tastes like a proper Sunday supper: rich beef and vegetable filling under a blanket of buttery mash, piped into little ghosts with olive eyes.

The ghosts are the whole trick, and they are easier than they look. A piping bag, a large round tip and a few halved olives turn an ordinary shepherd’s pie into the centrepiece of the table.

Serve it straight from the dish and let everyone pick their own ghost. It feeds a crowd, reheats well, and the kids will remember it long after the sweets are gone.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g (about 1 lb) beef mince
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock
• 150 g (1 cup) frozen peas
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the ghost potatoes

• 900 g (about 2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 60 g (4 tbsp) butter
• 120 ml (0.5 cup) warm milk
• Salt, to taste

To decorate

• 10 to 12 pitted black olives, halved
• Fresh thyme leaves, to serve

Instructions

1. Brown the beef: Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until well browned.
2. Soften the vegetables: Stir in the onion and carrots and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and cook for 1 minute more.
3. Make the filling: Pour in the beef stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the peas, season well, and tip the filling into a large baking dish.
4. Make the mash: Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 18 minutes until tender. Drain well, then mash with the butter and warm milk until completely smooth. Season to taste.
5. Pipe the ghosts: Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Spoon the mash into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip and pipe tall swirls all over the filling, close together. Press two olive halves into each swirl as eyes.
6. Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the ghosts are golden at the tips and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes, scatter over thyme and serve.

Storing and reheating

Cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze the filling (without the ghost topping) for up to 3 months. Reheat until piping hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble the pie a day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then add the ghost potatoes just before baking, or pipe them on top of the cold pie and bake for 10 minutes longer.

How do I get smooth, pipeable mashed potatoes?

Mash the potatoes while they are hot, with warm milk and butter, and beat them until smooth. A piping bag with a large round tip gives the neatest ghosts.

Can I make a vegetarian version?

Use lentils and mushrooms in place of the beef, with the same gravy base. The ghost topping works exactly the same way.

What should I use for the ghost eyes?

Black olives give the best contrast and stay put in the oven. Small capers work too, but they are less visible.