Half-Size Cottage Pie

Half-Size Cottage Pie

Ingredients

  • Leftover mashed potatoes

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 2 carrots

  • 1/2 medium onion

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • Brown gravy (butter, flour, beef stock and salt)

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • salt & pepper

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Microwave leftover potatoes to make them easier to spread.
  • Peel and dice carrots and onions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When olive oil is shimmering and fragrant, add the carrots and onions and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
  • Remove carrots, onions and garlic to a 9×9″ glass or metal/enamel baking dish (metal/enamel is better because you can finish the dish under the broiler, but I don’t have the right size–so sad for me). Add the ground beef to the same skillet and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain the fat from the meat and return to the heat.
  • Return the carrots, onions and garlic to the skillet. Add the brown gravy to the skillet and mix thoroughly. Add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove mixture to the baking dish.
  • Smooth mashed potatoes over the top of the ground beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. If you’re using a metal/ enamel baking dish, you can finish the dish under the broiler for another two minutes to achieve a slightly browned and crisp top. Don’t do this if you’re using a glass baking dish as the heat of the broiler will cause the glass to explode.
  • Serve with salad of your choice.

Notes