Carrot cake

Bruce's Cottage Pie

A familiar face across QVC, Gill Gauntlett brings real heart (and expertise!) to everything she does. Traditional, no-nonsense and oh-so-delicious, try her father's cottage pie recipe for a quintessentially British midweek meal.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hr 10 - 1 hr 30 mins | Skill: easy

Serves: 4 - 6 people

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Ingredients

  • For the filling:
  • 500g steak mince (5% fat)
  • 1 white onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • ¾ pint thick beef gravy
  • 1 beef stock cube (rich variety)
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • For the topping:
  • 1 bag Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 150ml full-fat milk
  • Large knob of butter
  • 100g strong mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • Salt and pepper
  • Optional
  • Sliced tomatoes

Method

STEP 1

To start the filling, heat a little oil in a large pan. Add the onions and carrots and cook gently for about 10 minutes until softened

STEP 2

Add the mince and cook until well browned, breaking it up as it cooks .

STEP 3

Crumble in the stock cube and adding the Worcestershire sauce. Cook for a few minutes to deepen the flavour

STEP 4

Stir in the beef gravy and let it simmer for around 20 minutes until rich and thick. Add extra gravy if needed. Season well

STEP 5

Meanwhile, prepare your mash by boiling the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and mash with the milk and butter until smooth. Season to taste

STEP 6

To assemble your pie, spoon the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish (if using tomatoes, layer them over the meat now). Spread the mashed potatoes over the top and finish with a generous layer of cheese

STEP 7

Cook in a hot oven at 220C (200C fan / Gas Mark 7) for 35 - 40 minutes, until golden and bubbling

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