Cottage Pie

COTTAGE PIE

What ya need!

1 kg Beef mince

1 brown onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 celery sticks, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 kg potatoes peeled and chopped

100g cheddar cheese, grated

90g tomato paste

1 tin of diced tomatoes

1 beef stock cube

3 tbs Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsp gravy granules

2 cups frozen peas

1/4 cup milk

Pepper for seasoning

What ya do!

• Chuck ya mince in a large pan and declump

• Add carrots, celery, onion and garlic to pan.

• Heat on medium heat on stove for 5 - 10 minutes or till mince browned and veg has softened.

• Add tomato paste, tomatoes, stock cube, gravy granules and Worcestershire sauce to the mince mixture and cook on low on stove top for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Add water if you like your consistency different.

• Meanwhile chuck ya potatoes in to a deep pan and cover with water, bringing to the boil for 20 minutes.

• Drain potatoes and mash together with milk, 3/4 of the cheese and pepper.

• Transfer mince mixture to a baking dish, adding the peas and stirring through.

• Top with potatoes, spreading evenly.

• Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the potato evenly.

• Cook in a pre heated oven at 200° fan forced till cheese has melted and has turned slightly golden.

• Enjoy.

  
  

Mrs Shelley's Unique Information!

Hhhiiiyyyaaa!!! Cottage pie for dinner!

If ever there was a comforting home cooked meal, this is it. Reminds me of home and childhood. I don't make it often but when I do, I am transported straight back to my upbringing as a child. So great. The flavours in this are absolutely top notch. It's so cold in Perth at the time I made this and this meal was much needed.

I even tried out my Temu pan and it survived. I am very happy with the quality I must say.

I love mash potato but I thought as I was adding cheese to the mash, I'd simply forget the butter. Everything is going straight to my hips at this age. I also cannot get rid of it.

I wonder as times have moved on how many people manually grate cheese like me. I do have contraptions that can grate it for me but how much effort does the washing up take? Too much for me. I don't buy ready grated as I find it too powdery.

I tell you what though, I do love mashing my potatoes with my electric hand held whizzer. Such a smooth consistency. I don't know about you, but when I mash by hand I get a sore wrist and lumpy mash. Nope, I'm not having no lumpy mash.

Do not forget everyone's consistency of a meal is different. If you need water added, water it down with a small amount at a time but don't forget the mash is going on top so you don't want the gravy coming over the top of your mash too much because it is too watery.

I love the gravy taste but the addition of Worcestershire sauce is what makes it and I am so glad that this is available in Australia or else I might cry lots.

Do not worry about the peas going in at a later stage and they have not been on the stove top. These will warm through thoroughly in the oven. They do not take too long to cook and if you cooked it on the stove and then put it in the oven then it's too much and they would be overcooked.

I hope you enjoy this comforting dish as much as I do.

Love Mrs Shelley