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Italian-style cottage pie with Parmesan potatoes recipe

Italian-style cottage pie with Parmesan potatoes recipe

45 ratings

A delicious Italian take on the traditional cottage pie. This recipe is uses crispy pancetta and a gooey Parmesan crust to really bring out the delicious Italian flavours. Try serving this hearty pie for a cosy family dinner. See method

  • Serves 6
  • 25mins to prepare and 1 1/2hrs to cook
  • 452 calories / serving

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 65g pancetta cubes
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, diced
  • 1 plump garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 250g lean pork mince
  • 250g lean steak mince or beef mince
  • 100ml red or white wine
  • 1tbsp plain flour
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 227g tomatoes
  • 2tbsp tomato purée
  • 2tbsp chopped oregano
  • 900g new potatoes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 50g Parmesan cheese, grated
If you don't have mince, cut open some sausages instead

Each serving contains

  • Energy

    1895kj
    452kcal     23%

  • Fat

    22g 32%

  • Saturates

    8g 38%

  • Sugars

    8g 9%

  • Salt

    0.8g 14%

of the reference intake
Carbohydrate 36g Protein 26.3g Fibre 5.1g

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil for the meat sauce in a large, wide saucepan and fry the pancetta until just starting to brown, then stir in the carrot, onion, celery and garlic with the remaining oil and fry, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes until the onion is softened and starting to colour. Tip in the pork and beef minces and stir to break them up with a wooden spoon, then stir fry until it is no longer raw looking.
  2. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes to reduce slightly. Scatter in the flour, give a good stir, then pour in the stock and stir in the tomatoes and tomato purée. Cover and simmer gently on a very low heat, partly covered with a lid, for about 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened and saucy. Stir in the oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare the potato topping. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and tip them back into the pan. Using a fork, break up the potatoes to lightly crush them, then stir in the oil, parsley and two thirds of the Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190℃, fan 170℃. When the meat sauce is done and cooked through, season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon it into a 1.8-2 litre ovenproof dish and top with the crushed potatoes. Sprinkle over the rest of the cheese. (Pie can be chilled now for up to a day ahead.) Place the dish on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until piping hot and the topping is golden and crisp. (Or if made ahead and chilled overnight, bake as above allowing 40-45 minutes.)

Freezing instructions:

Once the dish has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container, seal and freeze for up to 1-3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating. Loosely cover with foil and bake until dish is thoroughly heated through. Reheat until piping hot.

For top tips on protecting you and your family when preparing raw meat and poultry, visit Food Safety in the Home.

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