Buffalo minced meat with mashed potatoes in the oven

For the minced meat:

1. In a large pan with a lid, sauté the onion and leek in olive oil, then add the Kerkini BORAS buffalo minced meat along with the chopped garlic.

2. Using a fork, make sure to “break” it so that it is sautéed evenly. Add the thyme, salt and pepper.

3. Once the minced meat has released its “liquids”, add the tomato. Let it boil for 5 minutes and then cook over medium heat with the lid closed for about 45 minutes.

4. Just before finishing cooking the buffalo minced meat, add the butter, milk and mozzarella in pieces and mix well until the sauce thickens. Let the mixture cool.

For the mashed potatoes:

1. Peel the potatoes and place them in a large pot with cold water and salt. Once the water boils, cover the pot with its lid. In total, it will take about 20 minutes to cook. Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a large bowl and let them cool.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring with a wire whisk as in the béchamel sauce. Once the mixture is well combined, add the beef stock (warm) and the cream (at room temperature). Mix well and once the mixture becomes thick, remove from heat.

3. Add the boiled potatoes after melting them with our hands and press them into the mixture until they melt well with a wire whisk or fork.

4. Return the pot to medium heat and stir well until the mixture becomes fluffy. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Placing on the baking tray:

1. We choose a deep baking pan, preferably round, or smaller clay ones, which if we don't want to bake them at the same time, can be kept in the freezer after first wrapping them with cling film.

2. We lightly butter the base and sides of the pan and add the buffalo minced meat, then some grated gruyere, then spread the puree with a spoon and sprinkle with the remaining gruyere and some breadcrumbs. We also add a few pieces of butter.

   
   
   
   

   Baking:

   
   

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the puree takes on a nice color.

4. Serve after it has cooled a bit so you can cut our food into portions. Sprinkle with a little fresh thyme.