Indonesian Shepherd’s Pie

Name: Indonesian Shepherd’s Pie (Pastel Panggang)
Yield: Makes 4–6 servings
Cuisine: Dutch
Ingredients: 1½ cups (250 g) diced cooked chicken; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 large egg yolks; ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; ¼ cup (7 g) Chinese celery leaves or parsley, finely chopped; 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt; 1¼ lb (570 g) yellow gold potatoes, peeled and quartered; 6 Asian shallots or 3 European shallots, minced; 1 cup (170 g) chopped ham; 1 large egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash; 2 large hard-boiled eggs, sliced; 2 oz (60 g) bean thread noodles, soaked in hot water and roughly cut; ½ cup (15 g) dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water and chopped; ½ teaspoon ground pepper; 1 cup (140 g) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed; ½ cup (120 ml) chicken stock; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon sugar

Pastel Panggang

Preparation info

Makes
4–6
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Mortar and Pestle

By Patricia Tanumihardja

Published 2024

About

The Dutch influence in this dish that was once called Indische pastel (a name rarely used anymore) is palpable—hello, mashed potato topping! But the filling, with oddities like bean thread noodles and wood ear mushrooms, also makes it very Indonesian. Leave them out if you prefer.

Ingredients

For the Topping

1¼ lb (570 g) yellow gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1½ teaspoons

Asia
Europe
Indonesia
Netherlands
South East Asia
Pie

Method

To make the mashed potato topping, place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough cold water to cover by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until fork-tender, 15–20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in a colander. While they are still hot, press them through a ricer into a large bowl, or mas