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Cottage Pie

Savoury beef and veg under a buttery, golden mash.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g beef mince
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 300 ml beef stock
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 100 g frozen peas
• 900 g potatoes
• 40 g butter
• 100 ml milk
• 50 g mature cheddar

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into chunks. Finely chop the onion and carrots, crush the garlic and grate the cheddar.
2. Boil the potatoes in a large pan of salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until soft.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat. Add the mince and fry for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink.
4. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée and thyme for 1 minute.
5. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Mix the cornflour with a splash of cold water until smooth. Stir it in with the peas and simmer for 3 minutes until thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
7. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan). Drain the potatoes and mash with the butter, milk, salt and pepper until smooth.
8. Spoon the mince into an ovenproof dish. Top with the mash, rough up the surface with a fork and scatter over the cheddar.
9. Bake for 25 minutes until golden and bubbling at the edges.