This heart warming cottage pie recipe is the perfect dinner for a cosy night in now that the weather is getting chilly. Why not give it a go? If wished, you can cook the minced beef filling and make the mashed roots topping in advance. Assemble the pie in a dish and cover with foil or cling film and chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight. Bring up to room temperature and bake in the oven as outlined below.
Serves: 2 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 50-55 minutes Calories: 400kcals Steps: 3, 4 and 5
Ingredients
Spray oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g very lean minced beef (max. 5% fat)
1 tsp tomato purée
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce
250ml beef stock
2 tsp cornflour
A handful of parsley, chopped
150g broccoli florets
150g fine green beans, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the roots topping:
100g potatoes, cubed 100g parsnips, cubed 100g swede, cubed 2 tbsp 0% fat Greek yoghurt 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
2. Make the roots topping: cook the potatoes, parsnips and swede in lightly salted boiling water for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain well and then mash with the yoghurt. Stir in the spring onions and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, lightly spray a large saucepan with oil and cook the onion, carrots and garlic over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until softened.
4. Add the minced beef, tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, until browned all over and then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce and heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Blend the cornflour with a little cold water in a mug and add to the beef mixture. Keep stirring until it thickens. Stir in the parsley.
6. Spoon into a baking dish and cover with the mashed root vegetables. Swirl the top with a fork. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, until crisp and golden.
7. Meanwhile, steam or boil the broccoli and beans until just tender. Drain well. Serve with the cottage pie.
Step it up…
On Step 5, use 375g very lean minced beef and sprinkle the top of the cottage pie before baking with 30g grated reduced-fat Cheddar cheese.