Moroccan Cottage Pie
Giving the classic cottage pie a flavoursome twist. The rich tomato sauce is a delicious blend of Maghreb spices complemented by a generous handful of fresh herbs.
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Servings: people
Equipment
- 1 large frying pan
- 1 ovenproof dish
Ingredients
The Sauce
- 650-700 g ground beef or lamb
- 1 large onion
- 2 large cloves garlic - grated
- 1 large carrot (grated)
- 1 medium red pepper (finely chopped)
- 1 stem celery - finely chopped including the leaves
- 1 small banana chilli - finely chopped optional
- 1 handful - approx 10g each mint, parsley and coriander, a total of 30g. Finely chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp smoked paprika optional
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp raz al hanout
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tin plum tomatoes
- olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
The Mash
- 850-900 g Potatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 small onion
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 115 g butter
- 120 ml milk - or 50/50 with yoghurt or sour cream
Instructions
The Sauce
- In a large shallow pan - add a good glug of olive oil and fry the onions, as soon as they start to colour and soften, add the red peppers, the celery (but not the leaves) and the grated carrot. Add all the powdered spices.
- Saute gently until all the vegetables are soft and beginning to caramelise. Add the garlic, bay leaf and celery leaves.
- Add the meat and continue to cook until it is completely browned and you start to see caramelised bits around the edge of the pan—not burnt, just caramelised.
- Add the tomato paste and the fresh herbs. Make sure the tomato paste is well incorporated. Simmer until the moisture has evaporated. Add half the can of tomatoes.
- Continue simmering the sauce until you see the gorgeous tomato oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the tin of tomatoes and simmer until incorporated. You can also add a little water if you feel the sauce is too dry for your liking.
- Turn off the heat and set aside.
The Mash
- Bring the potatoes, onion and garlic to boil in a large pan of salted water - until soft and mashable.
- Mash by hand or in the potato ricer. When smooth and not lumpy, melt in the butter and whisk in the milk (by hand) until you have a smooth consistency. Season with salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg.
- Spoon the meat sauce into a shallow baking dish and then spread the mash on top. Don't push the mash quite to the edges, so there is room for the sauce to bubble up and crisp around the edge of the potatoes. Leave the mash smooth, or use a fork to give it texture to crisp on the peaks.
- Cook in a preheated oven at 200 °C for 30-35 minutes or until the mash is golden and the peaks just turn brown.
- Serve with seasonal greens, a big salad or minty peas.
- See notes below for freezing.
Notes
The Cottage Pie freezes well as the whole pie or divided into individual servings.
To freeze, please ensure the pie is cold. Freeze at the assembly stage, cover it well with cling film, or transfer it to freezer-safe sealed containers. Always freeze on the same day you make it.
Defrost the Cottage Pie in the fridge overnight to ensure even thawing, then cook as per the recipe instructions.
