Beef Potato and Pumpkin Bake

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 750g minced beef
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, trimmed, peeled, grated
• 1 celery stick, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup beef stock
• 750g potatoes, peeled, chopped
• 650g butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, diced
• 90g butter

Method

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add mince. Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove mince to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to saucepan. Add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in paste, sauce, stock and mince. Bring to the boil. Cover. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Spoon into 4 x 2-cup capacity ovenproof dishes. Place onto an oven tray.
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook potatoes and pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return to saucepan over low heat, shaking saucepan for 1 minute or until any remaining water evaporates. Remove from heat. Add 60g butter, and salt and pepper. Mash.
5. Spread mash over mince mixture. Dot with remaining 30g of butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Serve.