When it comes to classic British cuisine, you might not be able to end the list of the main course without the cottage pie.
Well, it is a dish that has reached different corners of the world now. Mainly, the Brits and other people who have connections with the British culture know about this dish and love it.
Here, you can check out both facts and procedures about the recipe. As a result, it would be easier for you to make it on your own.
Remember, the pie can be the best dish when it comes to a holiday lunch. Expect your family members to love the dish if you make it with some salt, pepper, and love.
Cottage Pie: Origination And Overview
As per the historical fact, poorer Brits started having potatoes as a staple during the late 18th century. It was back then, that the ‘cottage pie’ came into being.
In this dish, the cottage-living British people used a mixture of meat and veggies and gave it a potato topping. Later, they baked it and the pie was born.
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Ingredients
The ingredients are necessary to make the cottage pie recipe are given below.
- Ground Beef Mince: 500 g
- Onions: 2 (medium size)
- Carrots: 1 (large)
- Beef Stock Cube: 1 (Oxo)
- Large Potatoes: 4
- Frozen Peas: 2 Tablespoons
- Vegetable Oil: 1 Tablespoon
- Milk: Approximate
- Butter: Approximate
So, if you are concerned about how to make cottage pie, you need to rush to the market and get the items given on the list.
Procedure For Making The Best Cottage Pie At Home
When making the cottage pie recipe UK at home, you should remember to make it in a classic way.
Stepwise Instructions:
If you are a fan of cottage pie Jamie Oliver, make sure to follow the steps given below to make the dish perfectly.
Making The Pie Broth
Step 1: Put the oven on preheat at 200 degrees C.
Step 2: In a large pot, you need to take oil and put it on heat.
Step 3: Peel all the onions properly and cut them into small pieces. Next, you need to cook them till they turn golden brown.
Step 4: In the same pot, you need to add the minced beef and cook it until it turns brown. Later, you need to add water to the meat and leave it to simmer.
Step 5: As the whole broth gets cooked, you need to add frozen peas and keep simmering it on a continuous basis.
Step 6: Add the beef cube and stir the broth as the whole thing does not turn into lumps.
Step 7: After the broth is ready, you need to put it in the oven bowl. Let the pot cool off at first as you turn off the pre-heat.
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Creating The Mashed Potato Topping
Step 1: Peel all the potatoes and cut them all into even pieces. Consider this as the heart of the Cottage Pie dish.
Step 2: After cutting the potatoes, you must give them a thorough boil. Make sure that the potatoes remain at the boiling state for fifteen minutes or more than that.
Step 3: Add milk and a bit of butter to the boiled potato and start mashing it. Make sure your mash is such a stip that it allows you to spread it over the broth.
Step 4: After covering the entire broth with a layer of mashed potatoes, you can put the whole pie on a bake. Make sure you put the broth in the middle part of the oven with a temperature ranging from 180 degrees C to 200 degrees C.
So, now you know the entire process of serving the cottage pie. Still, if you are concerned about what to serve with cottage pie, you can consider taking rice or bread.
However, the pie itself is a wholesome meal and you can eat it all alone during lunch or dinner. At times, you can also taste the Cottage Pie as a complementary dish with wine or any kind of alcoholic beverage.
Always remember, the baked meat dishes go really well with the flavor of any alcoholic drink.
Difference Between Cottage Pie And Shepherd’s Pie
The people who make Cottage Pie often get confused about a similar dish. They face a question, what is the difference between shepherd’s pie and cottage pie?
Well, both Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie are more or less the same recipes. Both are meat-filling recipes but for the latter, lamb meat is used instead of beef.
Well, it is quite legit as in those days, the shepherds used to keep lamb and not beef. Actually, the shepherds did not bother to spend pennies on beef as they used to farm lambs for milk and meat.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
You can make the cottage pie at any time of the year. However, you can get the best vibe of this dish during the winter season.
You can use the lamb meat in place of beef to make the pie. In such a case, only the taste would differ and the name of the recipe would change.
It is necessary to keep the oven in the pre-heat condition as the pie meat can tenderize quickly. Even if you give the cool-off period, the pre-heat session actually works.
Yes, the cottage pie is tasty as it is a beef dish. People who love eating beef can eat cottage pie with much fun.
Final Words
The Cottage Pie is one of the leading dishes of England. So, you can expect to find it anywhere in the streets of the country. However, it would be best, if you make this at your place.
Make sure you follow all the steps in the article and make the dish in an authentic manner. So, you can also affirm that you know the process of making cottage pie.
Read Also:
- Top 20 British Food Recipes That You Must Try
- Cream Tea Recipe – Learn How To Make It
- English Breakfast – How To Make English Breakfast At Your Home
