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A proper British cottage pie: rich minced beef under a fluffy, golden mash topping.
Cottage pie is hard to beat midweek. A savoury beef filling cooked down in a properly flavoured gravy sits under creamy mash, then goes into the oven until the top turns golden. The beef is what makes it cottage rather than shepherd's, which uses lamb, and it is just the thing on a cold evening.
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Prep 20 min
Cook 45 min
Total 65 min
Easy
Scale:
- 500g Beef mince
- 1, finely chopped Onion
- 2, diced Carrots
- 2 cloves, crushed Garlic
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
- 400ml Beef Stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Plain Flour
- 900g, peeled and chopped Potatoes
- 50g Butter
- 75ml Milk
- to taste Salt and pepper
Tags:
beef comfort food family british
Preparation
- Heat a little oil in a large pan and cook the onion and carrots over medium heat for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Turn up the heat, add the beef mince and brown it well, breaking it up with a spoon as you go.
- Stir in the flour and tomato puree, then pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce. Season, bring to a simmer and cook gently for 25 minutes until thickened.
- Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain well, then mash with the butter and milk until smooth. Season.
- Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Spoon the beef into an ovenproof dish and top with the mash, roughing up the surface with a fork.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Drag a fork across the mash to raise rough peaks. Brush them with a little melted butter and they colour beautifully.
- Let the filling cool a touch before you spoon the mash on, so it sits on top instead of sinking in.
- Scatter a handful of grated cheddar over the mash before baking if you want it really indulgent.
Frequently Asked Questions
It comes down to the meat: cottage pie uses beef, shepherd's pie uses lamb. The rest is more or less identical.
Yes. Put it together completely, cool it, then cover and chill for up to 2 days before baking. Add 10 minutes to the bake if it goes in cold.
You can. Freeze it assembled, either before or after baking, for up to 3 months. Defrost it fully, then reheat until piping hot all the way through.
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