COTTAGE PIE
Don’t you just love a classic cottage pie? Goes well as a side dish or on its own as a main. It’s simple and easy to make, yet so satisfying to eat. This savory minced beef cooked with onions and topped with a layer mashed potato is such a comfort food to eat. I love to add parmesan cheese to the mashed potatoes as well, because why not?
Since this dish is heavy in carbs and meat, it’s good to have it with something fresh like a salad. It also goes well with roasted vegetables, perfect for cold winter nights. Minor warning, this recipe’s highly addictive!
You can substitute beef with lamb and make a Shepherd’s Pie. You can either make one big pie to share in the middle of the dining table or as smaller individual portions for each person to have and devour without fighting!
prep time 15 minutes | cook time 1 hour 15 minutes | total time 1 hour 30 minutes | serves 2
INSTRUCTIONS
Filling
Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery sticks and cook until soft before adding beef. Stir to prevent clumping and cook for 5 minutes until beef is cooked.
Add flour and stir until well combined before adding beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and let it simmer whilst stirring occasionally for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Remove from heat.
Mashed Potato
Peel and cook potatoes in salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until soft.
Drain water out and add butter.
Mash the potatoes using a fork or masher until smooth or reaches desired texture.
Add milk and mix. Season with salt and pepper.
Assembly
Preheat oven to 200C degrees.
Spoon the cooked beef into baking dish.
Top with a layer of mashed potatoes. Spread the mashed potatoes with the back of a fork.
Brush with butter.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or when the mashed potato top turns golden brown.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
500g minced beef
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tbsp worcestershire
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt
pepper
Mashed Potato
4 potatoes
1/4 cup milk
melted butter