Cottage Pie

savory beef filling under a mashed-potato crust

Makes 1 pie · 464 kcal per serving

Ingredients

• 500 g ground beef (80/20)
• 16 g vegetable oil
• 150 g onion
• 120 g carrot
• 70 g celery
• 12 g garlic
• 32 g tomato paste
• 20 g all purpose flour
• 32 g worcestershire sauce
• 240 g beef stock
• 160 g green peas
• 2 g dried thyme
• 8 g salt
• 2 g black pepper
• 800 g potato
• 48 g butter
• 80 g milk

Method

1. 1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, 15–20 min, then drain well and mash with the butter and warm milk until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
2. 2. Meanwhile, soften the onion, carrot and celery in the oil over medium heat, 8–10 min, then add the garlic and cook a minute more.
3. 3. Push the veg aside, raise the heat and brown the meat, breaking it up, then stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook 1–2 min.
4. 4. Pour in the stock, add the Worcestershire and thyme, and simmer until thick and glossy, 15–20 min; stir in the peas and season.
5. 5. Spread the filling in a baking dish, spoon the mash over the top and rough up the surface with a fork.
6. 6. Bake at 400°F / 200°C until bubbling and the top is golden, 25–30 min (finish under the broiler for extra color).
7. 7. Rest 10 min before serving.

Notes

With lamb it's a shepherd's pie.