Cottage Pie

What’s the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie?

There is quite often confusion over the difference between Shepherd’s Pie and Cottage Pie. Both are made the same way – a beef mince filling in a gravy sauce that is topped with mashed potato, sprinkled with parmesan then baked. (That crusty top is everything!!) The only difference is that Shepherd’s Pie is made with lamb instead of beef. So if you want, just swap the beef in this recipe with lamb and you’ll have a Shepherd’s Pie!

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves , minced

1 onion , finely chopped

1 carrot , finely chopped

1 celery , finely chopped

750g / 1.5 lb beef mince (ground beef)

1/4 cup (40g) flour (plain / all purpose)

1/4 cup (55g) tomato paste

2 cups (500 ml) beef stock / broth , low sodium

1/2 cup (125 ml) red wine (or water)

1 beef bouillon cube , crumbled (stock cube, or 1 tsp stock powder)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp dried thyme (or 3 sprigs fresh thyme)

2 dried bay leaves

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

TOPPING:

1.2 kg / 2.5 lb potatoes , peeled and cut into 2.5cm / 1" cubes

2/3 cup (165 ml) milk , warmed

2 tbsp (30g) butter

PARMESAN CRUST (OPTIONAL):

2 tbsp (30g) butter

2 tbsp (20g) parmesan, grated

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. Then add carrots and celery. Cook for 3 minutes or until softened and sweet.

Turn heat up to high. Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned.

Add flour and mix in. Add tomato paste, broth, red wine, bouillon cube, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.

Bring to simmer, then turn down heat so it is simmering rapidly - I have it on medium high. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces down to a gravy consistency (Note 1) (see video). Taste then add more salt if desired.

Transfer to 6 cup pie dish (1.5 litre / quart). Cover, cool if you have time (even overnight). Cool filling = easier to top with mash (Note 2)

ASSEMBLE PIE:

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.

Cook potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain then return to pot on turned off stove. Shake briefly and allow to steam dry for 30 seconds or so (Note 3).

Add butter and mash until melted, then add milk and salt. Mash until smooth.

Spread onto pie, use a fork to rough up the surface (rougher surface = more golden bits). Sprinkle with paremsan, drizzle with butter (or skip this and just drizzle with olive oil)

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling on the edges. Stick a knife into the middle to ensure it is piping hot.

Stand for 5 minutes before serving, garnished with fresh thyme leaves if desired.

Carrots and celery are used to make a truly great mirepoix / soffrritto flavour base for this pie. However, they can be omitted, but add 1 tsp of sugar instead.

Filling thickens - Whatever the thickness of the sauce when you pour it into the tin, that's what it will be once baked - no steam escapes while baking to allow it to reduce any further. So keep cooking until it's the consistency you want.

Cooling the filling ensures that the potato doesn't sink into the filling and makes it much easier to spread.

Watery potatoes drops excess liquid while baking into the filling which makes the sauce watery. So don't skip the step of steam drying the potatoes!

Also, make sure the mash is hot when spreading onto the pie. Cold mash is hard and so it is harder to spread onto the pie.

Add a big handful of cheese into the potato and also top with more cheese before baking if you like.

Add peas, or reduce the amount of beef and add chopped veggies like zucchini if you like.

Make ahead instructions: Assemble pie but don't bake it. Cool mashed potato topping then either refrigerate (4 days) or freeze (3 months).

Thaw if frozen bake as per recipe. Or bake from frozen - covered at 180°C/350°for 45 minutes, then 30 minutes uncovered.