I always call this Shepard’s Pie, but it is actually Cottage Pie due to the technicality of it’s having mince beef and not mince lamb. Which I guess makes sense. So for the sake of accuracy we’ll call it “My Cottage Pie” for now. I tend to experiment with the ingredients, but this the basic gist.

My Cottage Pie

Ingredients

1 medium sized onion, peeled and diced

250g of lean beef mince

1 tbsp of sunflower oil

salt and black pepper

pinch of cinnamon

1 large carrot peeled and chopped (as small as you can manage)

1 courgette chopped (as above)

1 tsp of thyme (fresh or dried) plus extra for the topping

1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp of tomato puree

200ml of beef stock (stock cube is fine)

750g of potatoes peeled(I use half sweet potatoes and half regular potatoes)

a drop of milk

a knob of butter

a little grated cheese (I use cheddar)

Directions

Add oil to a large pan over a medium/low heat. Next add the onion and beef mince stirring occasionally until the meat is separated and cooked through. Season and add cinnamon.

Add chopped carrot, courgette and thyme. Cook in the same way, stirring occasionally for 5 more minutes.

Once the vegatables have softened a little add the tinned tomatoes, puree and beef stock. Turn heat up to medium and once the mixture begins to bubble turn down low, cover and let cook gently whilst you prepare and cook the potatoes.

Preheat oven at 180c.

Peel potaoes and put into a pan of boiling water, boil until soft enough to mash.

Once ready drain water away, add a splash of milk and the butter then mash. Put the meat mixture into an oven proof dish, add the potato on top spreading gently to cover. Sprinkle with the grated cheese then the thyme and put in the oven for about 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Serve with something green like broccoli. Very healthy cottage pie!