Ingredients
Serve 6
- 300g shortcrust pastry, ready rolled
For the filling
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 500 g Haggis, crumbled, we used from lisdugganfarm.ie
- 250 ml beef stock
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper
For the mashed potato and turnip
- 500 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 large turnip, peeled and cubed
- 100g butter, divided, plus extra to brush
- 100ml cream or milk, as needed
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped to decorate
Method
- Place the haggis in a saucepan of simmering water, continue to simmer for 1hour or so until the core temperature reaches 72-74˚C. Remove from the water and keep aside. The haggis is ready to be used.
- In the meantime, prepare the base for the pie. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Grease a 20cm tart tin or ceramic tin.
- Unroll the pastry and fit it around the edges. Leave some pastry to hang over the edges. Score the base with a fork.
- Place baking paper over the pie and weigh it down with ceramic baking beans or rice.
- Blind bake the pie base for 20 minutes, then remove the weights and bake for a further five until golden. Remove from the oven and, using a serrated knife, make the pie edge neat, if needed. Set aside until needed.
- In the meantime, prepare the filling. Over medium heat, warm the butter and add the onion and garlic. Sauté gently for 2-3 minutes until softened. add the flour and cook stirring for a further 30s seconds.
- Then, stir in the crumbled haggis, the stock, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Check the seasoning and remove from the heat. Set aside.
- Next, prepare both mashed potatoes and mashed swede. In two different saucepan, place the potatoes covered with water and in the second saucepan, place the swede in cold water too. Bring both to the boil and simmer over medium heat until softened. Remove both from the heat once cooked and mash separately with enough butter and a drop of cream. I find adding a little of mashed potatoes into the mashed swede make it tastier but that's not a classic version! Check the seasoning at this stage too.
- Now, it is time to build the pie. Fill the blind baked shortcrust with a layer of turnip mash, then spoon some cooled haggis mixture, filling about 3/4 of the way up.
- Then, place the mashed potatoes in a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the mash, creating dots of mash covering the haggis. Sprinkle some salt and, if desired, extra melted butter.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until the pies are hot and the mash is lightly coloured.
- Carefully remove the pie from the oven and serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.
Notes
Blind bake for a crisp, sturdy base
Blind baking the shortcrust pastry is essential. It prevents a soggy bottom and ensures the base stays crisp under the rich haggis filling. Trim the edges after baking for a neat, professional finish.
Simmer the filling gently, not aggressively
Once the haggis, stock, and flavourings are added, keep the simmer gentle. Overboiling can make the filling heavy and split the fats. A short, controlled simmer thickens the sauce while keeping the texture rich and combined.
Whisky Cream Sauce is the ideal sauce to serve
Gently sauté some chopped shallot then deglaze the pan with a small splash of Scotch whisky and let it simmer briefly to cook off the alcohol before adding cream. Reduce gently until lightly thickened, then season carefully. The sauce should be smooth and warming, not overpowering. Finish with a knob of butter for shine and serve spooned lightly alongside the pie.
