Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie and Shepherds Pie seems interchangeable however they are different. Cottage pie is made with minced beef and Shepherds pie made with minced lamb. The term cottage pie was in use by 1791 and the term shepherds pie didn't appear until 1854. 

Originating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The name Cottage Pie was introduced at the end of the 18th century. It was around that time that poorer people in Britain, the people who lived in cottages in the country, started using potatoes as an everyday food. 

Other savoury pie variations include: 

St. Stephen's Day Pie: made with turkey or ham. 

Cumberland Pie: made with either beef or lamb and a layer of breadcrumbs and cheese on top. 

Fish Pie: made with seafood and a béchamel sauce topped with mashed potatoes.

Shepherdess Pie: a vegan or vegetarian alternative.  

Pâté Chinois: a French Canadian version of the dish made with a layer of minced beef, canned creamed corn and mashed potatoes. 

Other countries that have similar dishes are the Netherlands with Philosopher's Stew, Brazil's Escondidinho, Argentinian Pastel de Papa, Uruguayan Pastel de Carne, Indonesia Pastel Tutup and Portugal's Empadão.  

Cottage Pie

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Serves 4 to 6 

50 g/ 2oz butter

575g / 1 1/4 lbs minced beef

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

100g / 4oz mushrooms, chopped

30ml / 2tablespoons plain flour

300ml / 1/2 pint Beef stock

5ml / 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

900g / 2 lbs potatoes, halved

30ml / 2 tablespoons milk

pinch of grated nutmeg

salt and pepper

Melt half the butter in a sauce pan and fry the minced beef until browned, stirring to break up any lumps. Add the chopped onion, carrots and mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes or until softened slightly.

Stir in the flour, then pour in the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce, with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.

Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of salted boiling water for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain throughly and mash with a potato masher. Beat in the remaining butter and the milk to make a creamy consistency. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Set the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF / Gas 6. Spoon the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Cover with the potato and mark the top with a fork. Bake for about 25 minutes until the potato topping has browned.