Cottage Pie Recipe

This Cottage Pie recipe is slightly different. It is packed with vegetables, which not only makes the meat go further, but it is one of the best ground beef recipes for packing the nutrients in, particularly if you have picky eaters in the family! The ground beef is given a long, slow cook before being covered with the mashed potato. If you are pushed for time, you can cook the meat for about 10 minutes on top of the hob, but the result won't be as rich in flavor.

See Shepherd's Pie Recipe if you would like to make a similar dish using ground lamb.

Ingredients:

You will need a casserole dish with a lid. It is worth using one that can be used on the hob as well to save on washing-up. You will also need a 3 pint / 1½ liter baking dish or casserole dish.

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 350° F / 180° C.
2. Start by placing the potatoes in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook until they are tender (20 - 30 minutes). Drain well. Mash them until there are no lumps. Add the butter and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Heat a little oil and brown the ground beef in 4 - 5 batches. If you attempt to brown it all at once, you will land up with a gray, watery mass. Set aside.
4. Brown the onions until they are a deep caramel color. This helps to give the dish flavor. Add the carrots, zucchini, celery, canned chopped tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato ketchup.
5. Add the beef stock and the parsley and oregano. Add back the browned ground beef. Place a lid on the casserole dish and bake for about one hour. If the mixture is very wet, remove the lid and bake for a further 10 - 15 minutes.
6. Heap the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the mashed potato. Return to the oven and bake for half an hour, until the topping is slightly golden.
7. Serve this Cottage Pie recipe with a green salad.

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