Sausage and Mash Pie

Easy comfort food recipe using the tastiest Irish sausages, mash and leeks. Perfect for colder autumn and winter evenings.

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
2. Peel the potatoes, chop into even-sized chunks and cook in a large pan of salted boiling water for 15 minutes, or until tender.
3. Brown the Finnebrogue Irish sausages in a large non-stick pan on a medium heat, turning regularly.
4. Trim, wash and slice  the leeks to small chunks.
5. Peel, core and chop the apples into small chunks.
6. Once browned, remove the sausages (and juice to a bowl) and add in the leek and apple to the pan. Strip in most of the thyme. Add a splash of water, season with salt and pepper, then cover on simmer for 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
7. Stir in half the flour to the leeks, then gradually stir in the milk and mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
8. Slice the sausages into small chunks and add most of them into the pan, along with any juices.
9. Drain the cooked potatoes, mash with half the flour, then season.
10. Lightly rub a medium casserole dish with oil. Use your fingertips to spread two thirds of the cooled mashed potatoes, evenly across the base and sides of the dish.
11. Evenly spoon the sausage/leek mix into the mash-lined dish.
12. Press the remaining mash on to a sheet of greaseproof paper until just bigger than your dish, then flip over the top of the dish, peel off the paper, trim any excess and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
13. Push the reserved sausage slices into the top of the pie, then gently brush with oil.
14. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden, adding the remaining thyme leaves for the last 5 minutes.