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Per serving
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- 1
Boil and mash the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10–12 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well and mash with 6 tablespoons of the butter, about half a teaspoon of salt, and a little pepper. Whisk the milk with the egg yolk (save the white for another use), stir it into the potatoes until smooth, and set aside. The egg yolk is the trick that lets the top brown into crispy golden peaks.
- 2
Start the filling
Heat the oven to 400°F. Chop the onion, dice the carrots, and mince the garlic. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots with the salt and pepper until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, then sprinkle in the flour and cook another 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- 3
Build the gravy and cook the beef
Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire, add the thyme, and scrape up all the browned bits as it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and add the ground beef in small chunks, breaking it up as it simmers 12–15 minutes until cooked through and the gravy is thick. If you used cheaper 80/20 beef, just spoon off any excess grease. Stir in the peas and taste for salt and pepper.
- 4
Top and bake
Spread the mashed potatoes over the beef and rough up the surface with a fork so the ridges crisp. Set the skillet on a baking sheet and bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling, then broil a few minutes, watching closely, until the top is golden. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so it sets up.
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Classic Cottage Pie
Created by: BudgetBites
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef
- 3 lb potatoes
- 7 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 3 carrots
- 2 garlic
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 3/4 cup beef broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 1/2 cup peas
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Boil and mash the potatoesPeel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10–12 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well and mash with 6 tablespoons of the butter, about half a teaspoon of salt, and a little pepper. Whisk the milk with the egg yolk (save the white for another use), stir it into the potatoes until smooth, and set aside. The egg yolk is the trick that lets the top brown into crispy golden peaks.
- Start the fillingHeat the oven to 400°F. Chop the onion, dice the carrots, and mince the garlic. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and carrots with the salt and pepper until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 2 minutes, then sprinkle in the flour and cook another 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Build the gravy and cook the beefPour in the beef broth and Worcestershire, add the thyme, and scrape up all the browned bits as it comes to a boil. Lower the heat and add the ground beef in small chunks, breaking it up as it simmers 12–15 minutes until cooked through and the gravy is thick. If you used cheaper 80/20 beef, just spoon off any excess grease. Stir in the peas and taste for salt and pepper.
- Top and bakeSpread the mashed potatoes over the beef and rough up the surface with a fork so the ridges crisp. Set the skillet on a baking sheet and bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling, then broil a few minutes, watching closely, until the top is golden. Let it rest 10 minutes before serving so it sets up.