Comfort food
Cottage pie
Rich beef and vegetables under a golden lid of buttery mash.
Rich beef and vegetables under a golden lid of buttery mash.
This recipe is in development. Record your ingredient brands and equipment during testing, and use the cooking checks alongside the suggested timings.
The recipe
Cottage pie
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total*
- 95 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
*Estimated development timings. Allow 5 minutes standing after baking.
Ingredients
Tick things off as you go.
What you need
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Large frying pan
- Potato masher
- 3-litre ovenproof dish
Let’s make it.
- 01
Make the mash
Boil the potatoes in water for 18–22 minutes until completely tender. Drain, let the steam escape, then mash with the butter and milk. Season lightly. Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan.
- 02
Build the filling
Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the onion and carrots over medium heat for 8 minutes. Add the mince and cook for 8–10 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Stir in the tomato purée and stock.
- 03
Thicken
Simmer for 15 minutes. Mix cornflour with cold water, stir into the bubbling sauce and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the peas and check the mince is fully cooked. The filling should be thick enough to support the mash; simmer a little longer if watery. Season to taste.
- 04
Bake
Spoon the filling into a roughly 3-litre ovenproof dish, leaving space below the rim. Let it stop bubbling before topping. Spread the mash over it and roughen with a fork. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling, and steaming hot throughout. Stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Ingredient checks
Check every packaged ingredient for gluten-free suitability and other allergens, including stock, sauces, spices and seasoning blends. Use clean equipment and protect food from gluten cross-contamination.
Allergens: Milk; check stock.
Make it work for you
Keep the stated ingredient quantities for the first test. Substitutions need separate testing.
For another day
Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate within 1–2 hours. Eat within 48 hours or freeze. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Any recipe-specific freezing trial remains to be completed.
Exploding food
What goes in.
The ingredients, seen a little differently. This image is an illustration of the main ingredients; use the written recipe for the full list and quantities.
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