Nothing screams winter comfort food more than cottage pie. This hearty, cosy cottage pie is layered with rich flavours and topped with a lovely buttery mash – what’s not to love?! Remember comfort food has a place in the diet too and these meals can be super nutritious and comforting.
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
- 500g beef mince (or you could substitute for Quorn/Soya mince)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp mixed herbs
- 1 kg Maris piper potatoes
- 50g butter
- 50g cheese
- 150ml milk
Method
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and in a large frying pan, heat the olive oil.
- Saute the onion, carrot, celery and garlic on a medium heat in the frying pan until softened, then add the beef mince. Turn up the heat for 4-5 minutes and fry until the mince is browned.
- Meanwhile, peel, halve and boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C
- Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, stock cube, bay leaf, mixed herbs and salt and pepper to the mince mixture.
- Fill the tomato tin with water and add that as well.
- Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Remove the bay leaf.
- Once the potatoes have steamed, mash them well with the butter, 3/4 of the cheese and milk until the butter is melted and mixed through.
- Pour the mince mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Use a fork to rough up the top to help it colour and top it with the remaining cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and golden.
Lutrition 