This recipe is super easy to make and ticks all the comfort food boxes: creamy sauce, crispy cheese, savoury meat and of course those tender, delicious spuds. This is a bit like a cross between a cottage pie and a Lancashire hot pot, but without all the faffing around of transferring things into different dishes for the oven, or, for that matter, precooking mash. You could use different mince and of course add in any other vegetables and flavourings you like.
Serves 3-4
Time to make: 1 hour
350g lean beef mince
1 onion or spring onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 cup chicken or beef stock
¼ cup red wine
Dash chilli flakes
1 teaspoon soy sauce
3-4 floury potatoes, thinly sliced
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ cup grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Green salad or veges to serve
Heat a large, oven-proof pan over a medium high heat and add a little oil. Add mince and cook, stirring, until nicely browned (do this in batches if your pan is on the small side). Set mince aside and return pan to the heat.
Add vegetables and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add mince back into pan along with stock, wine, chilli and soy. Season well with salt and pepper. Turn heat to medium and simmer for ten minutes, until liquid is reduced. While it’s simmering, slice potatoes and mix sour cream and milk together. Turn oven on to 200C.
Lay potato slices on top of meat mixture, overlapping slightly. You can make a couple of layers. Spoon over sour cream mixture and sprinkle over cheese. Top with parsley, salt and pepper.
Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is golden and potatoes are tender.
Serve pie with a green salad or steamed green vegetables.
Recipe: Niki Bezzant