Cottage Pie
Cottage pie is a classic comfort food featuring a hearty minced beef filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
For the meat filling
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil For cooking
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery, finely chopped
- 750 g beef mince (ground beef)
- 40 g flour (plain / all-purpose)
- 40 g tomato paste
- 500 ml beef stock / broth (low sodium)
- 125 ml red wine (or water)
- 1 cube beef bouillon, crumbled (or 1 tsp stock powder)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 3 sprigs fresh thyme)
- 2 leaves dried bay leaves
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the potato topping
- 1200 g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes
- 165 ml milk, warmed
- 30 g butter For mashing
- 30 g butter For drizzling
- 20 g parmesan, grated
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 1 minute.
- Then add carrots and celery. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until softened.
- Increase heat to high. Add beef and cook while breaking it up until browned.
- Add flour and mix it in. Then, add tomato paste, broth, red wine, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a simmer then lower the heat so it simmers rapidly. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it thickens to a gravy consistency. Adjust salt to taste.
- Transfer to a 6-cup pie dish (1.5 liters). Cover and allow to cool if possible.
Potato Topping
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Boil potatoes in salted water for about 15 minutes or until soft. Drain, then return to the pot off the heat. Allow to steam dry for about 30 seconds.
- Add butter to the potatoes and mash until melted. Then add warmed milk and salt, mashing until smooth.
- Spread mashed potatoes on top of the meat mixture. Use a fork to create a rough surface for more golden bits. Sprinkle with parmesan and drizzle with butter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cottage pie is best served warm. You can garnish it with fresh thyme leaves for an extra touch. Pair it with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables to balance out the meal. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.