Cottage Pie
Did you know that I have been calling this dish shepherd's pie my whole life? But a traditional shepherd's pie is made with ground lamb, so technically, this is a cottage pie.
Growing up, this recipe was a staple in my household. It’s a great one pot meal, so why not!? My Mom had her version, and my Dad had his own. My version leans more towards what my Dad used to serve.
Growing up, Sunday evenings were the night my Dad used to cook. He worked hard all week, but he enjoys cooking so Sundays were always set aside for him to make us a great meal. And he is quite the cook, so it was always exciting.
Both my parents, even still, tend to stick to their specialties. Which is great and why I find certain dishes much more nostalgic, but I like to mix it up or take these recipes to new levels.
So here you have one of the ‘specialties’ in our house. Cottage Pie. Ground beef and vegetables in a tomato-based sauce with fresh herbs. Topped with creamy mashed potatoes and baked to perfection. Give this one a try, make it a staple in your home, because this cottage pie is worth gossiping about!
Cottage Pie
Mashed Potatoes:
2 Yukon gold potatoes, diced and boiled until fork tender
2-3 tbsp chicken stock
1 tbsp margarine
Salt to taste
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 celery stalk, diced
1/2 large carrot, diced
Small onion, diced
1/4 cup peas
1/4 cup corn
1 can tomato paste
1 tbsp chicken stock
1 tsp sugar
Generous sprinkle Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot, put some olive oil, onions, carrots and celery and sauté until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add beef and using a spoon, mash beef into smaller pieces.
3. Once meat is browning most of the way through, add in Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
4. Add in tomato paste, sugar and the chicken stock.
5. Add in peas, corn and parsley. Once mixed in, turn off heat and set aside.
6. In a smaller pot make the mashed potatoes using the boiled potatoes, margarine, chicken stock and salt.
7. In a smaller sized Pyrex or individual sized ramekins, place the beef mixture on bottom and top with the mashed potatoes.
8. Using a fork, pull around the mashed potatoes to create a nice texture on the top and then spray the potatoes with cooking spray.
9. Place in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until potatoes crispy on the top. Enjoy!
