Easy English Cottage Pie
A Simple Dish to Fill Your Tummy
Cottage pie, or shepherd's pie, is a dish that was meant for the poor laborers in the field who dwelt in... well cottages. The reason being is that instead of an actual dough for the crust of this 'pie', mashed potatoes were used. Potato, being a very cheap and affordable crop at the time, was often associated with those who were poor. Not to mention, the traditional recipe also calls for any type of leftover roasted meat. Nevertheless, despite it's humble beginnings, cottage pie still continues to fill stomachs throughout the centuries and manages to be a deliciously satisfying meal for one's palate (and one's wallet).
Ingredients
- 5 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 500g meat, minced
- 300g tomato sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced (optional)
- 8 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 40g hard cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp oregano
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- First, place cubed potatoes in a pot of boiling water. Let it cook for roughly 10-15 min, or until the potatoes are fork tender and soft.
- Drain the potatoes. Remove from heat. Add milk, butter, and salt. Mash until it is the desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, get out a saucepan. Add minced meat, onions, and carrots to the pan. Do not add oil. Allow the ingredients to cook in its own juices for roughly 5 minutes.
- Once the meat is browned, add tomatoes and herbs. Once the tomatoes break down, then add the tomato sauce. Let it simmer for 10 minutes on low setting.
- Pour the meat mixture into a baking dish. Then smother the top of the mixture with the mashed potatoes, creating an external crust.
- Sprinkle cheese on top of the the potato crust and bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm and bon appetit!
Cook Time
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ready in: 1 hour
Yields: 4 people