Family Cottage Pie

A family cottage pie with savoury minced beef and vegetables under a fluffy golden mashed-potato topping.

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Cottage pie is practical family comfort food: a rich beef filling can be prepared ahead, topped with mash and baked when everyone is ready to eat.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 50 g butter
• 120 ml milk (warmed)
• 80 g cheddar cheese (grated, optional)
• 750 g beef mince
• 1 onion (finely diced)
• 2 carrots (finely diced)
• 2 celery stalks (finely diced)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 500 ml beef stock
• 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 120 g frozen peas
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.25 tsp salt (plus more for potatoes)
• 0.75 tsp black pepper

Step-by-step method

1. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until completely tender, then drain well and leave them in the warm pan for 2 minutes to steam dry.
2. Mash the potatoes with the butter and warm milk until smooth. Season to taste and set aside. If using cheese, keep it for sprinkling over the top later.
3. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned rather than grey. Drain excess fat if necessary.
4. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, thyme and flour and cook for another minute.
5. Gradually add the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, stirring well. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the filling is thick and the vegetables are tender, then stir in the peas and season with salt and pepper.
6. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan. Spoon the beef filling into a baking dish and spread it level. Leave it for 5 minutes so the surface cools slightly and the mash is easier to spread.
7. Spoon the mash over the filling in small amounts, then spread gently from the edges inward so it does not sink. Rough up the surface with a fork and scatter with cheese if using.
8. Bake for 25–30 minutes until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the layers settle and are easier to portion.