English Cottage Pie
A comforting English cottage pie with savoury beef mince, vegetables, gravy, and a golden mashed potato topping.
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1 hr 5 mintotal
Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
Ingredients
Quantities are for 2 servings.
You'll need: Stovetop, Oven.
No inactive time beyond the short rest after baking; those few minutes out of the oven let the layers settle so each spoonful holds together.
Method
Boil the measured potatoes in salted water until tender enough to mash, then drain well.
Mash the potatoes with the measured butter and warm milk until smooth but still sturdy. Season lightly and keep aside.
Heat the measured oil in a pan and cook the onion, carrot, and celery until softened and lightly sweet.
Add the measured beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no pink patches remain.
Stir in the measured flour and tomato puree, then cook briefly until the mixture looks thick and glossy.
Pour in the measured beef stock, add the peas and pepper, and simmer until the filling is thick enough to hold its shape.
Transfer the filling to a baking dish, spread the mashed potato over the top, and roughen the surface with a fork.
Bake at 200°C until the topping is golden at the ridges and the filling bubbles at the edges.
Rest briefly before serving so the layers settle and each spoonful holds together.
How to tell it's done
The finished pie should have a browned, lightly crisp potato top and a moist but spoonable beef filling.
Getting it right
Tip
Keep the beef filling thick before baking; a loose filling will make the potato topping sink.
What to serve it with
Serve hot with steamed greens or a simple salad to balance the rich gravy and potato topping.
Substitutions
- Use Beef Chuck finely chopped instead of Ground Beef for a chunkier texture; cooking time may need to increase.
- Use Vegetable Stock only if making a non-traditional meat-free adaptation; it changes the recipe identity.
- Use extra Butter instead of Milk in the mash for a richer topping, but dairy allergen remains.
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