Cottage Pie

The Ivy Restaurant in London make one of the best Cottage Pie´s
Photo by Garry Knight

Cottage pie like other famous traditional dishes started in kitchen of the poor farmers when the potatoes started to be affordable by them. Today Cottage pie is one of the most favourite food of all the British, served at home, pubs and some of the best restaurants have their own version. In Spain we also have a similar recipe translated more like Meat cake with mash potatoes, some time I preferred because is a simple cottage pie recipe.  In England a popular vegetarian version is Quorn cottage pie with a kind of mock meat, but for be honest I don’t like it, so instead I used chickpeas  that give you plenty of calories, protein and fibre like the white beans.

Classic Cottage Pie    Serves 6 -  Time 2 hours.

You need for the mash: 900g King Edward potatoes (peeled & chopped) - 115g butter -115ml double cream.

1. In a pan of salty boiling water put in the potatoes more or less chopped in similar sizes, now simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender.
2. Drain the potatoes, and put it back to the pan in a very low heat, stir a couple of times for remove the excess of moisture. Heat off
3. Mash the potatoes with a masher or similar, then add the butter and cream, until you have a very smooth mash. Season. Set aside.

With a piping bag you can decorate your Cottage Pie

You need for the filling: 650g minced beef -300g shallots (finely chopped) - 4 sprigs fresh thyme, (leaves only) - 2 tbsp tomato purée - 1 tbsp plain flour - 150ml red wine -400ml beef stock -2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce – 50 ml olive oil.

1. Heat 25 ml of the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the minced beef, in batches will be easier to cook until browned all over, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat in a separate pan over a medium low heat the remaining olive oil and fry the shallots and thyme for 5-6 minutes, until just softened.
3. Stir in the tomato purée and flour and cook for an extra minute, then add the cooked beef.
4. De-glaze the frying pan used to cook the beef with the red wine, scraping up any caramelised bits with a wooden spoon. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the wine has reduced by half, then pour the wine into the pan with the beef.
5. Add the stock to the pan and leave to simmer for 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and 2 tbsp of the Worcestershire sauce.

For the Cottage Pie

1. In a baking dish place the mince beef mixture and spread all over the dish.
2. Then spread over the mash potatoes or you can fill a piping bag  and pipe the mash over the top in a more decorative way
3. Set your oven to a 190º C and cook the cottage pie for about 18- 20 minutes until the top is golden-brown. Serve.

Cottage Pie with a Spanish touch  Serves 6 -  Time 70 minutes.

The white eggs give a extra sponge to the mash

For the Mash potatoes (read above)

You need for the filling: 200g mince beef – 200g mince pork  - 1 green pepper (finely chopped) – 1 onion (finely chopped) -  150g can chopped tomatoes – 2 eggs (boiled)  100g olives (chopped) – 2 white eggs – 50g grated cheese  such as cheddar – 1tbsp breadcrumbs

1. Heat 25 ml of olive oil in a pan over a medium low heat and fry the onion and pepper for 5-6 minutes, until just softened.
2. Then add the minced meats and season with salt and pepper. Let cook 3-4 minutes browned all over. Add the chopped tomatoes and let reduce for another 4 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and add the chopped olives and the boiled eggs also chopped. Taste and check the seasoning.

For the Spanish Cottage Pie

Spanish Cottage pie has eggs and olives

1. Oil a baking dish and sprinkle over a tbsp. of breadcrumbs. Now take half of the mash potatoes and spread over the baking dish creating a first layer.
2. Next over the mash potatoes layer spread over the meat filling pressuring down. Sprinkle over a half of the cheese.
3. Cover the meat layer with the remaining mash potatoes.
4. Now whisk the egg whites until form peaks. When is ready cover with them all the cottage pie and sprinkle over the rest of the cheese.
5. Put in the oven at 180ºC for 30 minutes. Serve.

Vegetarian Cottage Pie.   Serves 6 Time 70 minutes

Vegetarian Cottage Pie

You need for the mash: 550g King Edward potatoes – 300g swede (both peeled & chopped) – 50 g butter - 30 ml milk.

1. In a pan of salty boiling water put in the potatoes and swede more or less chopped in similar sizes, now simmer for 12-15 minutes until tender.
2. Drain the potatoes and swede, and put it back to the pan in a very low heat, stir a couple of times for remove the excess of moisture. Heat off
3. Mash the potatoes with a masher or similar, then add the butter and a final splash of milk, until you have a very smooth mash. Season. Set aside.

You need for the filling: 1 onion (finely chopped) - 2 garlic clove (crushed) - 1 large carrot (peeled and finely chopped) - 1 leek ( trimmed, thinly sliced) - 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves -  400g canned chick peas (drained and rinsed) -  400g canned  cannellini beans ( drained and rinsed)  -  400g can of chopped tomatoes - 2 tbsp. tomato purée.  Some grated cheese - Oven at 180º C

1. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan at medium low heat and fry the onion until for 4 minutes.
2. Now add the carrot, leek and thyme leaves, cook for other 4 minutes.
3. Meanwhile roughly ground the chickpeas in a blender. Then add to the frying pan.
4. Also add the cannellini beans, chopped tomatoes and tomato puree. Stir all very well and add 50ml of fresh water. Simmer for 4 minutes. Check if the carrot is tender. Season.

Vegetarian Cottage Pie.

1. Spread the filling in a baking dish and top with the mash and sprinkle over some cheese.
2. Put in the oven for 20- 25 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve.

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Cottage Pie