Italian Cottage Pie Food

CLASSIC COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook lamb, carrots and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and wine; stir in tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender., Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer meat mixture into a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Drain potatoes; mash with milk and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over meat mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese., Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet (plate will be full). Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

ITALIAN COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• First make the Beef with red wine & carrots (see 'Goes well with'). You will need half the finished stew for this recipe.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook the potatoes in boiling, salted water for 10 mins until almost done. Drain well, then mix with the butter and half the Parmesan.
• In a large saucepan, fry the pancetta or bacon until golden. Stir in the fresh oregano leaves or dried oregano, then add the beef stew and heat through. Tip into an ovenproof dish and top with the cheesy potatoes, overlapping. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 mins until golden and crisp on top. Serve with a green salad.

ITALIAN VEGGIE COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, lidded frying pan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the aubergine, in two batches, over a high heat for 4-5 mins until golden, adding extra oil as you need to. Return all the aubergine to the pan with the garlic, tomatoes and 1 1/2 tsp oregano and cook for 1 min. Stir in the spinach, put the lid on the pan and leave for a few mins to wilt.
• Add the flour and stir through until combined. Pour in the milk, stir gently and bring to the boil. Bubble for a few mins, then stir in the cheese and season. Cook until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.
• Mix the mash with the remaining oregano and spread over the filling. Scatter over a little more grated cheese and bake for 10-15 mins until golden.

LAZY COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Brown beef and onion together in a large skillet, drain fat.
• Place meat into a medium greased caserole dish (it doesn't matter what shape- you want to be able to have the meat spread in one layer).
• Spread the beans on top.
• Spread the unprepared soup on top of the beans using a spatula.
• Next spread the mashed potatoes over all, sealing edges.
• Sprinkle with cheese, if desired (I often omit).
• Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 F or 180 C oven for about 20 minutes, or until bubbling.
• NOTE:If you like, use a fork to make lines in the mashed potatoes (or, you could also pipe the mashed potatoes on top using a decorating bag with a wide star tip if you aren't feeling quite so lazy).

COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onion, celery and carrot, stirring them over a brisk heat but not allowing them to brown.
• After 5 minutes or so add the garlic, reduce the heat and soften everything together.
• Increase the heat again and add the ground beef, stirring until browned.
• Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, wine and stock, season and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Boil the potatoes until soft and mash them with the milk until smooth and creamy.
• Spoon the meat mixture into a gratin dish and cover with a thick, even layer of mashed potato.
• Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 45-55 minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve with seasonal vegetables.

ITALIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Stir 1/2 cup of the cheese into the potatoes; set mixture aside.
• In a large skillet, cook ground beef, sausage, and onion until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir zucchini or yellow summer squash, undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, and pepper into meat mixture in skillet. Bring to boiling.
• Divide meat mixture evenly among six 10-ounce individual casserole dishes. Spoon mashed potato mixture into mounds on top of hot meat mixture in casseroles. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. If desired, sprinkle with paprika. Cover with plastic wrap; chill for at least 4 hours or up to 48 hours.
• To serve, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove plastic wrap; place casseroles in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil. Bake, uncovered, for 5 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN SPINACH-COTTAGE CHEESE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie plate.
• Combine cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese, eggs, red peppers, Parmesan cheese, and oregano in a bowl. Pour into the prepared pie plate.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the center of the pie is set, 35 to 50 minutes.

COTTAGE PIE (BRITISH BEEF AND MASHED POTATO RECIPE)

Steps:

• Sauté the diced onion over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
• When the onion is just starting to brown, add the ground beef and break up into smaller pieces. Stir often, and continue to cook until the liquid starts to dry (if not using Bisto, add a tablespoon of flour at this time).
• Add enough water, just to cover the ingredients, and simmer. At this point, add about 1/4 tsp. salt, one OXO cube (or 1 tsp Beef Better than Bouillon), 1 Tbsp Bisto granules, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce and some ground black pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
• Continue to simmer the meat over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes, then taste. Add more salt if needed, then remove from heat.
• Ladle the beef and gravy into oven safe ramekins or bowls to make individual cottage pies, or just one large dish. Spoon (or pipe) mashed potatoes onto each dish to cover completely. Add shredded Cheddar cheese on top, if desired.
• Place dishes/ramekins onto a rimmed baking sheet and bake until bubbly and the potato is a little browned, approximately 25-30 minutes. You can finish off the pies under the broiler if you like them to have more crispy, and brown tops.

ITALIAN COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease deep 2.5-litre (10-cup) casserole dish.
• Heat oil in large frying pan, cook onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrot and eggplant, stirring, until onion softens. Add mince, cook, stirring, until browned. Add flour, cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, bring to the boil, stirring. Stir in undrained tomatoes, paste, sauce and oregano. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly.
• Meanwhile, make soft polenta. Bring stock and milk to the boil in large saucepan. Gradually add polenta to stock mixture, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, cook, stirring, about 10 minutes or until polenta thickens. Stir in cheese.
• Boil, steam or microwave potato until tender, drain. Mash potatoes with butter and milk in large bowl until smooth. Using wooden spoon, gently swirl hot polenta mixture into potato mixture.
• Spoon mince mixture into dish, top with potato polenta mixture, sprinkle with cheese. Cook in oven, uncovered, about 25 minutes or until cheese browns lightly.