Easy Cottage Pie (for Isabella Skye)

Time:  30 minutes plus 15 - 20 minutes baking time
Cost:  99p per serving
Calories:  565 calories per serving

My easy recipe for cottage pie which the whole family are guaranteed to enjoy. A few tweaks to the traditional recipe, including a topping of potato, swede and potato, makes it a hit with the fussiest of kids. At just 99p per serving it's bound to be within your budget, plus it's got plenty of veg so healthy too!

Full Recipe

Serves 6:

For the topping:

• 1.5 kg potatoes
• 1 kg mixed root vegetables, sweet potato, swede, parsnips, etc
• 100ml milk
• 50g butter
• Salt & pepper to taste

For the mince meat:

• 500g lean mince beef
• 1 onion
• 2 - 3 carrots
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 400g frozen peas
• 300ml hot beef stock
• 2 tablespoons tomato puree
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 7 / 220 C.
2. Peel and dice the potatoes and root vegetables into 2cm cubes. Place in a pan with boilng, slightly salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until tender.
3. Meanwhile, brown the mince meat in a large saucepan for around 5 minutes. While the mince is browning, peel and finely slice the carrot using a food processor. Do the same with the onion, but not quite as fine as the onion. If you do not have a food processor, grate the carrot and finely chop the onion.
4. Drain the fat off and put mince to one side. Put the onion and carrot into the pan which had the mince in. Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until soft.
5. Return the mince to the pan along with the tomatoes, stock, thyme, tomato puree, garlic and peas. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.
6. While the mince is simmering, drain and mash the potatoes and root vegetables along with the butter, milk and salt and pepper to taste. Add more milk if the mash seems too stiff.
7. Finally build the pie by spooning the mince evenly into the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Top with an even layer of the mash. Bake your Cottage Pie in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes until the top is crispy and the sauce bubbles around the edges of the dish.

Tips:  Cottage Pie keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days or freezes well for up to 1 month. Substitute the beef for pork mince if you prefer.