It’s mid-week cooking time again. Let me firstly apologize for the photography, I know it’s not good and I know it doesn’t look very appetizing, but I assure you, it tasted good!

This recipe was taken from an old Donna Hay magazine. I will soon have the full collection as I’ve found some people who have the issues I’m missing.

It looks like a Sheppard’s Pie but I find the ricotta better than potato as it’s not as heavy, and I don’t hear the “carbs are bad” voice in my head!
So here we are with mince and ricotta pie. I did have to adjust it as it was tasting very bland when I tasted the mince. I added some tomato paste and tomato sauce and it came out a bit more like a bolognaise sauce. Accompanied by a light salad, it was a lovely winter meal.

Original Recipe: Mince & Ricotta Pie

Donna Hay Magazine – Issue 28

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
750g beef mince
400g can chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
sea salt and cracked black pepper
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees C. Heat a large, non-stick fry pan over high heat. Add the oil, onion and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the mince, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the mince is browned.

2. Add the tomatoes, worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes or until the mixture is thickened.

3. Spoon the mixture into a 4 cup capacity ovenproof dish.

4. Place the ricotta, eggs, oregano and mozzarella in a bowl and stir to combine. Top the pie filling with the ricotta mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden.

Serves 4.