This recipe is something I threw together on a whim to see if I could replicate the Maggi Cottage Pie mix that Hubby used to enjoy. Hubby said the meat mixture I made was beautiful and was so good he'd be happy to just have it on toast anytime. That's a pretty big compliment from Mr Picky! The potato is smooth and creamy, while the meat mixture is rich, lightly spiced and slightly tangy. And I don't know about you, but I find making mashed taties very comforting and theraputic after a hard day! A hearty meal for a cold night, and one that both young and old will enjoy.
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| Homemade Cottage Pie |
Homemade Cottage Pie
Serves: 6
Mince:
1 tbsp olive oil
500g heart-smart beef mince
1/2 cup frozen peas, carrots and corn
1/2 cup frozen chopped onions
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
3 tbsp Massel Supreme gravy powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt + a pinch
1 Massel beef stock cube
Potato:
5-6 large potatoes
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup low fat tasty cheese (for topping)
To cook mince:
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Over a medium-low heat, add onions. Sweat but do not colour. To stop onions browning, add a pinch of salt. Add minced garlic. Stir into the sweating onions. Add mince, cooking until browned.
Turn heat up to medium. Add tomato paste and stir through the mince and onion mixture. Heat through to "cook" the paste. Add the canned tomatoes, mixed vegies, salt, pepper, dried thyme leaves and paprika, and stir again. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Add water and crush up the stock cube as you add it in. Stir into the tomato mince mix. Add the gravy powder one spoon at a time, cooking in between. This will help thicken the mince mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes, until thickening, then remove from heat.
To cook potato:
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
Peel and chop the potatoes into even sized chunks. Cook until fork tender.
Take off the heat and carefully drain off the hot water. In the warm saucepan add butter or margarine to the hot potatoes. Add half the milk and start mashing! Add more milk as you go to make a nice smooth mash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a whisk, whip your mash until it's light and fluffy and completely smooth.
To assemble to the meal:
Serves: 6
Mince:
1 tbsp olive oil
500g heart-smart beef mince
1/2 cup frozen peas, carrots and corn
1/2 cup frozen chopped onions
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 cup water
3 tbsp Massel Supreme gravy powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt + a pinch
1 Massel beef stock cube
Potato:
5-6 large potatoes
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup low fat tasty cheese (for topping)
To cook mince:
Heat oil in a large saucepan. Over a medium-low heat, add onions. Sweat but do not colour. To stop onions browning, add a pinch of salt. Add minced garlic. Stir into the sweating onions. Add mince, cooking until browned.
Turn heat up to medium. Add tomato paste and stir through the mince and onion mixture. Heat through to "cook" the paste. Add the canned tomatoes, mixed vegies, salt, pepper, dried thyme leaves and paprika, and stir again. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Add water and crush up the stock cube as you add it in. Stir into the tomato mince mix. Add the gravy powder one spoon at a time, cooking in between. This will help thicken the mince mixture. Cook for another 5 minutes, until thickening, then remove from heat.
To cook potato:
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
Peel and chop the potatoes into even sized chunks. Cook until fork tender.
Take off the heat and carefully drain off the hot water. In the warm saucepan add butter or margarine to the hot potatoes. Add half the milk and start mashing! Add more milk as you go to make a nice smooth mash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using a whisk, whip your mash until it's light and fluffy and completely smooth.
To assemble to the meal:
Pour the mince mixture into a ovensafe baking dish. Gently spoon the potato mash over the top of the mince, and spread out with a fork. Spread it out as rough as you like - some spikey bits with make for a nice crispy texture on top. Spinkle with tasty cheese, and bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celcius (fan-forced) for 15 minutes, or until cheese is golden and melted.
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| Baked and golden... |
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| And deliciously ugly, hehe. |
*Note* I was a little naughty with mine this time. I was in a hurry and in the dish pictured I used Edgell instant mashed potato to top the mix. All previous times I have used real mashed potato, which always tastes a million times better! But this is a handy option when you're pushed for time, and the Edgell instant mash at least tastes fairly close to real thing when you add milk, butter and a little salt and pepper.
