Description
Hearty cottage pie brings rustic comfort straight from British kitchens with ground beef, savory vegetables, and creamy mashed potato topping. Warm layers of rich flavor meld together, promising a satisfying meal that welcomes you home with classic countryside charm.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 900 grams (2 pounds) beef mince
Vegetables:
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 sticks celery, diced
- 250 grams (9 ounces) small brown chestnut mushrooms, sliced
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 50 grams (1.75 ounces) plain flour
- 250 milliliters (9 fluid ounces) red wine
- 300 milliliters (12 fluid ounces) beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons light muscovado sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 dash gravy browning (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Potato Topping:
- 1.5 kilograms (3 pounds 5 ounces) King Edward potatoes, peeled and sliced into 4 millimeters
- 150 milliliters (5 fluid ounces) double cream
- 100 grams (3 ounces) strong cheddar, grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan), preparing a deep baking dish for the pie.
- In a large skillet, sear the beef over high heat until richly browned, then transfer to a separate plate.
- Using the same pan, sauté onions and celery until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Create a wine-flour mixture, then reintroduce the beef to the pan, stirring to combine.
- Pour in the stock, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and thyme, allowing the mixture to simmer and develop deep flavors for 5 minutes.
- Incorporate mushrooms into the meat mixture, cover, and let simmer gently for 45 minutes until the sauce thickens and meat becomes tender.
- Meanwhile, boil potatoes until completely soft, approximately 20-25 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
- Mash the potatoes with cream and cheese, creating a smooth, rich topping.
- Transfer the meat mixture to the baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
- Carefully spread the potato mixture over the meat, creating a smooth, even layer.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the top turns golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Allow the pie to rest for 10 minutes before serving to help it set and cool slightly.
Notes
- Enhance meat tenderness by choosing ground beef with 15-20% fat content for juicier results.
- Prevent soggy topping by thoroughly draining boiled potatoes and letting steam evaporate completely.
- Elevate flavor depth by using beef stock instead of water and adding a splash of red wine during simmering.
- Create gluten-free version by substituting wheat flour with cornstarch or arrowroot for thickening sauce.
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 75 mins
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 480 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg