Cottage pie recipe

I have recently started making my own Cottage pie with a recipe that I have tweeted to work four our fussy family. I find that a cottage pie is such an Autumn/Winter staple as it feeling like such a warm, hearty meal, one that is a proper comfort meal. 

I recently started making the meal and found that I didn't have a packet mix in so decided to find a recipe to try out, the first one I found sounded good but I changed it slightly to fit our family, Lils isn't keen on fresh onion ad none of us like celery. I thought I would share our recipe with you which can easily be adapted if need be.

Recipe

500g Beef Mince

1 carton of tomato passata 

1 tbs tomato paste

1 beef stock cube

1 beef stock pot

1 tsp onion salt

1 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp mixed herbs

2 medium carrots sliced and part cooked

Salt and pepper

3 large potatoes for mash

75g cheese

Method

1. Preheat you oven to gas mark 4/180oC

2. Brown off the mince and drain off excess oil from the pan.

3. Pour in the passata in with the mince and stir through.

4. Add your tomato paste, garlic granules, onion salt and mixed herbs and stir well.

5. Add both the stock cube and stock pot and mix in until dissolved.

6. Add the carrots, salt and pepper, mix in then simmer from 20 minutes.

7. Whilst this is simmering you can cook and prep your mash.

8. After 20 minutes move you mix into an ovenproof dish and spread evenly.

9. cover the mince mix with mash and spread out.

10. Score mash with fork and sprinkle with cheese

11. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes

12. serve with seasonal veg and gravy

We have grown to love this meal more than ever and I am so glad that I can create something that all the family loves, it also makes me happy that one of my experiments in changing a recipe has come together. I would love to know if you give this recipe a try and how you have changed it if you have.

Victoria x