Cottage Pie

                                     
A very satisfying, yummy homemade pie, enough to serve for a family of six.  Just make a bowl of salad to go with it.

Recipe from here and here

Ingredients
2 tbsp         olive oil
1 medium   brown onion (150g), chopped finely
1 medium   carrot (120g), chopped finely
500g           minced ground beef
2 tbsp         plain flour
3/4 cup       (180ml) stock
2 tbsp         tomato sauce (ketchup)
1 tbsp         worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp         finely chopped parsley
600g           potatoes, peeled, chopped coarsely
40g             butter
1/2 cup       (125ml) hot milk
1/3 cup       coarsely grated cheddar cheese




Shortcrust pastry ingredients
125g     cold butter ( chopped coarsely, I wrapped and froze for one hour)
2 tbsp   iced water, approximately
225g     all-purpose flour
1           egg yolk

Process flour and butter until crumbly.
Add egg yolk and most of the water, process until ingredients just come together.
Wrap in plastic wrap, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

roll out pastry between two cling films. 

using one hand, flip the pastry onto the flan tin
roller helps to scrape the excess pastry away, use it to patch up any bald spots

Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes

wrap a large piece of foil, over the pastry, making sure the edge is not exposing at all.
Fill with  pie weights ( or dried beans, rice ..)
Bake for 10 minutes.
Gently remove the foil, bake for another 5 minutes.

Done. Let cool.

Ingredients well cooked,  let cool.

mash potatoes ready here as well.

Fill in the beef mixture, spoon mash over it, sprinkle with cheese.

Method 
Heat oil in large frying pan. Cook onion and carrot, stir until soft. Add in beef, cook and stir until beef changes colour. Add flour, cook and stir for a minute. Slowly stir in combined stock and sauces. Stir over heat until mixture boils and thickens. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Season to taste. Let cool.

Preheat oven to 200C /400F. Oil 24cm (9 and 1/2 inch) loose-based flan tin.
Roll the chilled dough (pastry) between cling wraps until large enough to line tin.
Lift pastry into tin, press into side, trim edge, prick base all over with fork.  Chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C.

Place tin on oven tray, cover pastry with foil, fill with dried beans, rice or metal beads. Bake 10 minutes. Wait for 2 to 3 minutes, gently remove the foil and beads, bake for 5 minutes. Let cool.

Spoon beef mixture into pastry case.

Boil or steam potatoes for about 20 minutes or until soft. Add in butter and milk. Mash until smooth ( I used food processor). Season to taste. Spoon  mash over beef mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake , uncovered, about 20 minutes or until browned. Let it stand for 2 minutes before serving.


Note: If you use store bought pastry, please refer here