by Jayne Clarkson

Created on: July 27, 2009   Last Updated: December 06, 2010

Cottage pie is a British classic. Most families have eaten this filling autumnal meal at some time or another. As a child, alongside my mum's stew, Cottage pie was one of my favourite dishes. She always cooked it expertly and on a chilly autumn afternoon there was nothing I looked forward to more than eating the crispy, golden mashed potato and delicious minced beef in gravy. It is a wonderful, tasty, easy-to-make dish that most cooks, even the most inexperienced, can master.

After a day's work it provides a cheap yet nutritious dinner that both children and adults can enjoy. Another great benefit is that this cottage pie is very easy to freeze and then reheat at a later day. So even when you have only a little time, it is possible to make quickly and therefore avoid processed meals. This version is a combination of my mother and adoptive grandma's recipes, which includes a number of different vegetables and a crunchy cheese topping so it covers all important food groups and is a good way of sneaking vegetables into your children's diet . It tastes great served with green vegetables and creamed leeks. Serves Four.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb lean minced beef

1 large onion diced

2 carrots

Half a cup of frozen peas

Half a cup of frozen sweet corn

Half a pint of beef gravy

1tbsp mixed herbs

1 and a half lbs boiled potatoes

2 tbsp butter

4 tbsp milk

4oz Wensleydale or Cheddar cheese grated.

1. To begin with you will need to pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius/ 375 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Next take a large frying pan and add the oil, then heat until sizzling hot. Next add the onion and minced beef and brown gently. Once the onion and meat is browned, add the vegetables, herbs and gravy and simmer gently until the carrots and other vegetables are soft.

3. Whilst the meat and vegetables are simmering, heat the potatoes until they are soft. Remove the potatoes from the heat and mash, adding the milk gradually. Once the milk has been added, mix in the butter and a small portion of grated cheese.

4. Next, take an oven-proof pie dish and pour the mince into it. Finally layer the mashed potato over the mince until it is completely covered and sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the top. Place the pie into the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and crunchy. Enjoy with a nice glass of Yorkshire bitter.

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