Cottage Pie
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Nutrition: Per serving
Energy
322 Kcals
Fat
12g
Saturates
3.1g
Sugars
14g
Salt
1.3g
A traditional family favourite made-over; a low-fat beef mince gratin with a fluffy mash topping.
Ingredients
400g lean minced beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed or chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
1 large carrot, diced
1-2 tablespoons tomato puree
50g frozen peas
1 low-salt beef stock cube
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
500g peeled potatoes
2-3 tablespoons skimmed milk
1 tablespoon vegetable spread (such as olive or sunflower)
Pepper to season
Method
Preheat oven to 200C or gas mark 6.
For the filling
Warm the oil in a large saucepan or frying pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes without colouring.
Add the minced beef, and continue to cook until browned.
Add the stock cube, canned tomatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and carrot pieces.
Bring to the boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. The sauce should thicken nicely.
Add frozen peas and continue to simmer for 5 minutes, season with pepper.
For the topping
Peel the potatoes and cut into egg sized pieces. Boil for about 20 minutes or until tender.
Drain the potatoes, add the vegetable spread and milk and mash until smooth and creamy.
Making the pie
Put the meat filling into a casserole or baking dish, and top with the mashed potato
Bake for 45 minutes (30 minutes from hot), until golden brown on top
Serve on its own or with seasonal vegetables
Recipe Tip
Try adding canned beans to the meat mixture instead of peas, adding chopped mushrooms or for a smoother sauce puree the chopped tomatoes before adding to the pan.