Spicy Shepherd'S Pie With Feta Potato Topping - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 medium eggplants, peeled
salt and pepper
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped drained canned tomato
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb mushroom, quartered
2 carrots, diced
1 pinch hot pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 lb/250g)
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 egg

Preparation

Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes.
Place in sieve and sprinkle lightly with salt; set aside.
In large nonstick skillet, cook beef, onion and half of the garlic over medium heat, breaking up beef with spoon, for 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.
Drain off any fat.
Stir in tomatoes, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, and salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to 12 cup (3L) casserole.
Rinse and pat eggplant dry.
In same skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook eggplant, mushrooms, carrots, hot pepper flakes and remaining garlic for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in parsley.
Spoon evenly over meat mixture.
Meanwhile, in saucepan of boiling salted water, cook potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender.
Reserving water, drain well.
Return potatoes to saucepan and dry out slightly over low heat.
Remove from heat.
Add feta cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, and salt and pepper to taste; beat until smooth, adding about 2 tablespoons.
cooking water to make fluffy.
Spread over vegetables.
(Casserole can be prepared to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before heating.) Bake, uncovered, in 400 degrees F.
(200C) oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly, covering top with foil if it gets too brown.
Makes 6 servings.
Bonnie Stern Cookbook.