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Cottage Pie

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes total

Cooking time: 1hr, 15 minutes total

Serves: 4 (you could maybe serve 6 if serving with plenty of vegetables)

Ingredients

  • One large onion (approx. 150g peeled)
  • Two carrots (approx. 150g peeled)
  • 3-4 Decent size cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 Twigs of thyme (or dried equivalent)
  • 500g Beef mince
  • 15ml Worcester sauce
  • Beef stock cube or pot
  • 15g Tomato paste
  • 10g Paprika
  • 350ml Warm water
  • Olive oil as necessary

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 1000g potatoes

  • 20g butter
  • A splash of milk

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • 20-30g Cheddar cheese

Method

Filling

  • Brown the mince (slowly), meanwhile;
    • Chop the onion
    • Dice the carrots
    • Peel the garlic cloves
    • Strip the leaves off the thyme
  • Crumble the oxo cube into a jug with the water and add the tomato paste, Worcester sauce and paprika - mix well
  • Once the mince is browned;
  • add the onion, carrots and thyme
  • crush and add the garlic
  • add salt and pepper to your taste
  • Once the onion becomes slightly translucent, pour the jug of water into the pot or pan and mix well
  • Throw in some more Worcester sauce
  • Simmer on a low heat for at least 30 minutes
  • Decant to a suitable tray or dish and allow to cool
  • Pop it in the fridge

Mash

  • Peel the potatoes and cut into bite sized chunks
  • Place the chunks in a sturdy microwave-safe container (I use a Pyrex glass dish) and microwave for around 15 minutes (@ 750 W) - be careful the container will be very hot. They are ready when you can easily spear a piece with a fork
  • Move to a bowl and mash, mix with the butter and milk & add salt and pepper (if you'd like)

Pie

  • Add the mash to the top of the mince, spread it out and flatten it down evenly
  • Grate some cheese on top of the mash and cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 180° C