How to make a Cottage Pie

You will need:

For the Topping:

1kg Potatoes (peeled and quarted)

100ml Milk

75g Butter

For the Filling:

500g Minced Beef

1 Onion (diced)

3 Garlic Cloves (diced)

2 Carrots (diced)

1 tbsp Sunflower Oil

2 tbsp Tomato Puree

2 tbsp Plain flour

400ml Beef stock

3 tbsp Worcester Sauce

1 tbsp Thyme

Method:

1. In a saucepan, boil your potatoes for 20 mins until soft. Drain the water from the potatoes, ideally keeping it for your stock for the filling.

2. Mash the potatoes, adding in the butter and milk. Once mashed keep to one side while making the filling.

3. In a saucepan over a medium heat, add your oil, onion, garlic and carrots and sweat for 5 mins.

4. Then add your beef and brown all over, this should take 5 mins.

5. Then add the flour and stir until well coated.

6. Then add your stock, tomato puree, thyme and Worcester sauce and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 10 mins until the sauce has thickened.

7. Add the filling to an oven proof dish, mine was 27cm by 19 cm.

8. Then top with the mashed potato, roughing it up with a fork. This will make the top crispy.

9. Then bake in a pre-heated oven at Gas Mark 4, 180C or 160C fan assisted for 30 to 40 mins.