This delicious cottage pie is a great little door drop and a thoughtful way to tell friends and loved ones that you are thinking of them. Once baked, it will fill their homes with its comforting aroma.
When the world was hit with COVID19 and life got put on pause, it forced Open Garage to really be creative in how to keep our Open Garage community alive. No longer could we host our little Garage gatherings.
We decided that little care packages and door drops would be a great way to stay in touch with those living near us and family we could no longer visit.
The cottage pie is a great little door drop that can be enjoyed easily by someone you want to say “thinking of you, here is a warm meal for you to enjoy.”
It also helps that it is extremely delicious and you’ll be pestered for the recipe, no doubt!
What You’ll Need
This recipe uses staple veggies like carrots, potatoes and frozen peas, and pairs it with nourishing lamb mince, herbs and beef stock. If you like cheese, make sure to have some on hand to sprinkle over the top for extra deliciousness.
How to Make Cottage Pie
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, and until lamb changes colour.
- Add the diced tomatoes, herbs, flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until combined. Add stock, frozen peas, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile to make the potato mash, cook potato in a medium sized pot of salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Return to the pot with the butter. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth. Add milk and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L ovenproof baking dish, or use four individual ovenproof serving dishes. Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter. If using cheese, sprinkle over mash potatoes.
Notes
- Disposable take away foil containers are great for door drops.
- I like to leave unbaked with a little tag attached giving instructions how to do so. For example: “Bake me in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown. Serve immediately.”
Optional Variations
- You can substitute lamb mince with beef if preferred.
- Desiree potatoes will give you the smoothest potato mash, but you can use any kind of potatoes you have on hand.
Cottage Pie
Equipment
- 2L ovenproof baking dish, OR
- 4x individual ovenproof serving dishes for door drop
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 brown onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot peeled, finely chopped
- 100 g frozen peas
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 400g can of diced tomatoes
- 600 g lamb mince
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbs mixed italian herbs
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 250 ml beef stock
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 800 g desiree potatoes peeled, chopped
- 40 g butter
- 125 ml milk
- 100 g paramesen cheese optional
- Melted butter to brush
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrot and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add lamb mince and cook, stirring to break up any lumps, and until lamb changes colour.
- Add the diced tomatoes, herbs, flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until combined. Add stock, frozen peas, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile to make the potato mash, cook potato in a medium sized pot of salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Return to the pot with the butter. Use a potato masher or fork to mash until smooth. Add milk and use a wooden spoon to stir until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Spoon lamb mixture into a 2L ovenproof baking dish, or use four individual ovenproof serving dishes. Top with mashed potato and use a fork to spread over lamb mixture. Brush with butter. If using cheese, sprinkle over mash potatoes.
Notes
- Disposable take away foil containers are great for door drops
- I like to leave unbaked with a little tag attached giving instructions how to do so. For example: “Bake me in a preheated oven for 20 minutes or until mashed potato is golden brown. Serve immediately.”