COTTAGE PIE

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor ("cottage" meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers). In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.

Serves 5
4 hours
486 kcal per serving


Ingredients

• 2 celery sticks, sliced into 1 cm pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 big carrots, halved lengthways then chunkily sliced
• 5 bay leaves
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp each plain flour, tomato purée & Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
• 850 g beef, cut into large chunks
• 850 g potatoes
• 25 g each mature cheddar and Parmesan, finely grated
• Peas, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160 °C.
2. Soften the celery, onion, carrots, bay and 1 thyme sprig in a casserole with 1 tbsp oil and butter for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour, followed by the purée, Worcestershire sauce and stock cubes.
4. Gradually stir in 600 ml hot water, then tip in the beef, previously seasoned with salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for 30 minutes - 1 hour more until the meat is really tender and sauce thickened.
6. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling water until they´re not done but about 3/4 of the way there.
7. Transfer the meat to a baking dish.
8. Slice the potatoes into 1 cm thick rounds and gently toss with seasoning, the remaining oil and thyme leaves.
9. Layer on the beef, scattering with the cheese as you layer.
10. Increase the ove to 200 °C and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and crispy.
11. Serve with for example peas.