Make our favorite mashed potatoes. You need about 4 cups of mashed potatoes to top off the casserole, set aside.
Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large, deep skillet.
Add the beef and cook until browned, using a beef chopper to break up the meat and all the meat juices have evaporated.
Add the garlic, onions, carrots and celery and continue cooking until the veggies soften.
Sprinkle the salt, paprika, pepper and flour over the pan, cooking for 2 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring all the time, until it smells rich (about 1 minute).
Pour the broth and Worcestershire over the meat and veggies, scratching the browned bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and a thick gravy has formed.
Stir in the peas and herbs. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed then spread in a 7×11 baking dish and set aside until cooled.
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the cold filling gently so that they don’t mix together.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes or until golden, adding the shredded cheese the last 10 minutes.
Notes
Freshly baked Shepherd's Pie will keep for 3-5 days in the refrigerator if tightly covered with foil.
