Ingredients

Check off ingredients as you go

For the meat

• 500g (1 lb) ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 level tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
• A few sprigs of parsley, chopped
• Salt, pepper

For the mashed potatoes

• 1.5kg (3.3 lbs) potatoes
• a drizzle of olive oil
• a pinch of nutmeg
• Salt, pepper

For the golden top

• 1 beaten egg
• breadcrumbs

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Preparing the mashed potatoes and meat

1. In a pot, put the peeled and halved potatoes to cook in lightly salted boiling water for about twenty minutes, until tender (a knife tip should come out easily).

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, add the ground beef and sear it (dry, just until it changes color), then add the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Let it sweat a bit, then add a small drizzle of oil, mix well, and pour in water to roughly the height of the meat (no more). Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. When cooked, remove the bay leaf, add the tomato paste and parsley, and mix.

3. Drain the potatoes, mash them into a purée, season with salt and pepper, add the nutmeg and olive oil drizzle. Your mashed potatoes should be smooth and creamy.

Assembling the hachis parmentier

4. In a baking dish, spread a layer of mashed potatoes, pressing down firmly. Cover with a layer of meat and its juices (this keeps everything moist), then top with another layer of mashed potatoes and create ridges with a fork.

For a golden top, brush with beaten egg, dust lightly with breadcrumbs, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20 to 25 minutes. The top should be beautifully golden.

Serve hot with a crisp green salad.

Tips and variations

• Instead of bay leaf and parsley, you can use thyme and rosemary.
• If you’re making this ahead, just cook the components separately through step 3, then assemble and bake when ready to serve.