Individual Cottage Pies Recipes

COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry 1¼ kg beef mince until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns.
• Put the other 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan, add 2 finely chopped onions, 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery sticks and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 mins.
• Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 3 tbsp plain flour and 1 tbsp tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few mins, then return the beef to the pan.
• Pour over a large glass of red wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the 850ml beef stock, 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, a few thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 mins. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 mins - if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
• Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the 1.8kg potatoes which you've peeled and chopped, in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
• Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few mins. Mash well with the 225ml milk, 25g butter, and three-quarters of the 200g strong cheddar cheese, then season with freshly grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper.
• Spoon the meat into 2 ovenproof dishes. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden.
• If you want to use a slow cooker, brown your mince in batches then tip into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, purée, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs with some seasoning. Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours. Make the mash following the previous steps, and then oven cook in the same way to finish.

CLASSIC COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook lamb, carrots and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and wine; stir in tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender., Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer meat mixture into a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Drain potatoes; mash with milk and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over meat mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese., Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet (plate will be full). Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

PROPER ENGLISH COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• To Make Meat Filling: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Crumble in ground beef and saute 1 minute. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until meat is no longer pink and onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in flour, cinnamon, mixed herbs, and parsley.
• In a small bowl, combine beef broth and tomato paste. Mix together, then add to beef mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and simmer mixture for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.
• To Make Potato Topping: Place diced potatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and place over high heat. Allow to come to a boil. Boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain.
• Mash potatoes until smooth, then add butter or margarine, followed by milk. Whip until fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread potatoes over beef filling. Sprinkle with grated Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, until top is browned and cheese is bubbly.

INDIVIDUAL COTTAGE PIES

Steps:

• Boil potato in a large pot of water with 1 tbsp sea salt.
• Pass through a food mill or ricer (or mash completely smooth).
• Stir in yogurt, garlic, green onions, Parmesan, black pepper and dried parsley. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan heat the oil and cook onion and carrots until tender, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine Yves' Ground Round, base + water, thyme, allspice, Worcestershire, ketchup, and peas.
• When vegetables are done, add to the mince mixture and stir in thoroughly.
• Divide between two pot pie plates.
• Dollop half the mashed potato mixture on each pie and spread to cover the filling.
• Bake immediately or wrap well in foil and freeze.
• To bake immediately or when thawed:
• Preheat oven to 375F and bake (uncovered) 35 minutes.
• To heat from frozen:.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Bake, covered 1 hour, then uncover, raise oven to 400F and bake 10-15 minutes.

PERSONAL SHEPHERD'S PIES

Steps:

• Cook and stir beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat until beef is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes; drain and discard grease.
• Reduce heat to low. Stir mushroom soup, corn, ketchup, and pepper into beef mixture; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Divide beef mixture into four 4-inch round baking pans; spread prepared mashed potatoes over beef mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over pies. Place pies on a baking sheet.
• Broil until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

MINI SPINACH AND COTTAGE CHEESE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat oil in heavy pot over medium high heat.
• Saute onion and garlic until onion is starting to turn yellow, not quite brown.
• Add spinach in batches and saute until wilted.
• In bowl, beat cottage cheese, eggs, oregano, salt and pepper if using, together.
• Add spinach mixture and mix thoroughly.
• Spoon batter into muffin tin, fill 3/4 full - I use paper cupcake liners. This makes about 16 to 18 muffins. I just use my dozen cupcake pan, and then put the leftover mix into small ramekin cups.
• Variation: grease the muffin tin, then cut flour tortillas (use a flattened out cupcake liner as a template) into rounds, carefully push the tortillas into greased muffin cups, fold over excess tortilla from the side. Fill 3/4 full with mixture.
• Top each muffin with heaping teaspoon of crumbled feta.
• Bake until top starts to brown, about 30 minutes (without tortilla) or increase time to about 35 to 40 minutes with tortilla.