Traditional Cottage Pie

ingredients

1kg floury potatoes

100g butter

3 tbsp milk

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

3 carrots, peeled and cubed

750g beef mince

3 tbsp tomato purée

3 sprigs thyme

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

500ml stock or water

worcestershire sauce

frozen peas

salt & black pepper, to taste

Olive 0il

Sea salt

 

Serves 6

instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Peel the potatoes and halve or quarter into evenly sized chunks. Place in a large pot of water and bring to the boil. Simmer until tender. Drain and mash with the butter and milk, adding salt if necessary. Place the lid on and set aside.

Meanwhile heat the oil in a large heavy based pan. Add the onions and carrots. Cook over a medium heat for five to ten minutes until the onion is translucent and soft but not brown. Tip the vegetables into a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and add the minced meat. Brown all over and stir regularly. Return the vegetables to the pan along with the thyme and water. Simmer on a low heat for fifteen minutes.

Once the gravy has reduced add the peas and worcestershire sauce. Taste and season, add more worcestershire sauce if necessary.

Transfer the meat to a large oven proof baking dish and top with the mashed potato. Don’t smooth the surface of the mash but rather spoon it on leaving jagged edges. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake in the oven for about forty minutes until the potato is golden and the gravy is bubbling.