Easy Cheesy Cottage Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and fry over a medium/low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
• Add the beef mince and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until brown.
• Add the tomato purée, worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then stir and cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat up to high and add the red wine. Let it bubble away and reduce for 5 minutes then add the stock and reduce to a medium heat. Simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into halves and quarters so they're all a fairly even size. Cook in a pan of boiling, salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• Taste the mince and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Transfer it to an ovenproof dish (approximately 20cm by 30cm).
• Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper then spread over the top of the mince.
• Finely grate over a little parmesan cheese then cook for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
• Serve with buttered peas or a simple side salad.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook lamb, carrots and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and wine; stir in tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender., Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer meat mixture into a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Drain potatoes; mash with milk and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over meat mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese., Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet (plate will be full). Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate.
• Place potatoes into a pot; cover with salted water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover; simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; mash with 2 tablespoons of the butter and the garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef, herbes de Provence, and nutmeg; cook and stir until beef is lightly brown and crumbly, about 10 minutes. Spread the beef evenly in the prepared pie plate. Cover evenly with the peas; spread the mashed potatoes over the peas. Dot the casserole with the remaining butter.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• To make the pie filling:.
• Fry the onions and carrots if using, in the butter or beef dripping until they are soft.
• Add the minced/chopped beef and cook for about 10 to 20 minutes or until the onion and carrot have browned and the minced beef has taken on some colour and is firm. (It also depends if you are using cooked or raw minced beef.).
• Season well with salt and pepper, then add the mixed herbs. Stir in the flour, and mix well.
• Mix the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce with the stock and add it to the meat mixture, bringing it all to simmering point. Simmer until the stock has reduced by aboout a third, add the peas if using and take off the heat. Set aside whilst you make the topping.
• To make the topping:.
• Boil the potatoes in slightly salted water then mash them well, adding half of the butter and all of the milk gradually. Season to taste.
• If using fresh leeks, fry the leeks gently in the remaining butter, until soft and slightly coloured.
• Stir the cooked leeks into the mashed potato mixture and give it all a good mix.
• Assemble:.
• Put the meat mixture into a large and deep well greased baking dish and spread the potato mixture on top; then sprinkle with the grated cheese. You can also use 4 - 6 smaller pie dishes if you wish.
• Put into a pre-heated oven, 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is crusty, golden and bubbling.
• Serve with an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables and a jug of gravy.