THE ONE AND ONLY COTTAGE PIE
Now, this recipe is something that I have made so many times and yet I often had to ask my sister as a reminder of my own recipe due to never making a note of it. Thankfully she did and now I can share this with the rest of you!
Like with all my recipes I always think the easier the better, if it means using things up in the fridge or cupboard then that makes me even happier.
The recipe below is the general version I use, but feel free to:
- Use 250g beef mince if you don’t like mushrooms (I like to increase my veggies).
- Substitute the tomato paste for some tomato ketchup if you don’t have any in.
- Additionally, you can also use soy sauce or even a teaspoon of marmite in place of Worcester Sauce for the tang.
- The wine and herbs are optional (but it’s good to have a reason to drink a glass of wine in the evening).
- If you have sweet potatoes, other root vegetables or also pumpkin to use, then maybe add a twist rather than to do the standard mashed potato.
Cottage Pie (not a Shephard)
Cottage pie is with beef mince unlike the other version which is with lamb. This is a classic and all-time favourite.
Equipment
- frying pan
- pyrex dish
- masher / hand blender
- grater
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 tbsp oil for frying
- 2 onions
- 3 carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 125 g beef mince
- 200 g mushrooms, chopped small rough amount based on a 300g punnet
- 1 tbsp tomato puree/paste
- 500 ml beef stock
- 1 glass red wine (¼ - ½ filled) optional
- 1 sprinkle dried thyme
MASH
- 10 medium potatoes floury ones at best
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 good chunk (60g) cheese I use Gouda or Cheddar (up to 100g)
- 1 good pinch salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1-2 tbsp milk don't add too much otherwise you will be making soup!
Instructions
- So first of all put the pan onto the hob with a medium heat add the oil and fry the onions and carrots until they are soft.
- Add the garlic and the mince and stir from time to time until the mince has fully cooked and then add the mushrooms and cook for a further few minutes.
- Add tomato paste, the beef stock, the red wine (if you are adding it), and the dried thyme and mix so it is fully incorporated and then leave for an hour on low heat to simmer and thicken. Stir every 15 minutes to stop anything sticking to the bottom.
- After an hour the filling should be ready and what I mean by this is that it should be a thick consistency. Leave to cool down.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius fan (220 degrees celsius without fan).
- Peel and chop up the potatoes and boil them in a pan with water until soft.
- Drain the water from the potatoes and then add the butter, half to 3/4 of the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Use a masher or a hand blender to mash the potato until there are no more lumps.
- Now that the filling has cooled down and the mash is ready as well, place the filling into a suitable dish (such as a Pyrex dish) and place the mash on top of the filling.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the cottage pie and place into the preheated oven for around 30 minutes (unit the top is golden).