Serves: 6

So here is an interesting thing: Cottage Pie’s use ground beef. Shepherd’s Pie’s use ground lamb.

Though for purposes of calories, we went with beef here.

And wow, it is a great pie.

Just a classic, go-to recipe for a Shepherd’s Pie. (Or Cottage Pie)

Or whatever it is.

Ingredients

Meat Filling

2 tbsp olive oil
1 c chopped yellow onion
500gm lean ground beef
2 tsp dried parsley leaves
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 c beef stock
1 c frozen mixed peas and carrots
1/2 c frozen corn kernels

Potato Topping

1kg potatoes, peeled and chopped
8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/2 c thickened cream
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 c Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Make the Meat Filling

1. Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over a medium heat; add the onions, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the ground beef (or ground lamb) until it breaks apart.
2. Add parsley, rosemary, thyme, Salt and pepper and stir well. Cook for 8 mins until the meat is browned.
3. Add Worcestershire sauce and garlic, stir and cook for 1 min.
4. Add the flour and the tomato paste, stir until there are no clumps of tomato paste.
5. Add broth, frozen peas, carrots, frozen corn and bring to a boil then reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally until its thicker in texture.
6. Set mixture aside and preheat oven to 200c.
7. Potato topping: boil the potatoes until tender.
8. Drain and mash or put through a ricer and let the liquid evaporate for about 1 minute.
9. Add butter, cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir all ingredients together.
10. Add Parmesan cheese and stir well.
11. Assemble: pour the meat mixture in a baking dish and spread out evenly to form a layer. Spoon mash potatoes on top of meat in an even layer.
12. Bake for 25-30 minutes.