Recipe of the Week - 8.26.11

I went to a party this week where the host made several versions of Shepherd's Pie (a regular, a vegan and a vegetarian). All were fabulous! I had never had Shepherd's Pie before so this was a new experience. I found a recipe in my new cookbook using sweet potatoes and thought I'd give it a try!

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Shepherd's Pie
Source: The 12 Best Foods Cookbook by Dana Jacobi

Ingredients
2 lbs sweet potatoes
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
2 tsp salt, divided
freshly ground pepper
1 large egg white
3 cups broccoli florets + 1 cup broccoli stems, thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1.5 cups ricotta cheese
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbs. dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly graded parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Bake the sweet potatoes until they are soft. When cool enough to handle, peel the sweet potatoes and place their flesh in a mixing bowl. Add the ginger, five-spice powder and 1/2 tsp of he salt. Mash with a fork until the potatoes are creamy. Season with pepper and mix in the egg white.

3. Steam the broccoli florets and stems until tender. Place them n a bowl and season with the lemon juice and 1/2 tsp of the salt.

4. Place the ricotta, feta, buttermilk and the remaining 1 tsp salt in a food processor. Whirl until the mixture is smooth (~2 minutes). Add the oregano and pulse to distribute evenly. Season the mixture with pepper.

5. Coat a deep 1.5 quart heatproof casserole dish with cooking spray. Spread half the potato mixutre oer the bottom of the baking dish. Sppon half the cheese mixture over the sweet potatoes. Arrange the broccoli on top of the cheese. Cover the broccoli with the remainin cheese mixture. Cover the cheese wih the remaining sweet potatoes. Sprinklwe with the breadcrumbs. Cover the top of the casserole with the parmesan cheese.

6. Bake the pie uncovered for 30 minutes until it is bubbling around the edges and hot in the center. Remove from oven and let sit 20 minutes before serving.

Rating and Tips
OK all so this hasn't happened in a while but this one was a TOTAL flop. I admit that I made a few substitutions on the spices but I still don't think that can account for how bad it came out. Texture was OK but the flavor combos were downright awful! You win some and you lose some I suppose!