COTTAGE PIE

Cottage pie or shepherd’s pie is a meat pie with a crust of mashed potato. The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (cf. “cottage” meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).

In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.

The term “shepherd’s pie” did not appear until 1877, and since then it has sometimes (incorrectly) been used synonymously with “cottage pie”, regardless of whether the principal ingredient was beef or mutton. The term “shepherd’s pie” should be used when the meat is mutton or lamb, with the origin being that shepherds are concerned with sheep and not cattle. This may, however, be an example of folk etymology.

Recipe for Cottage Pie

40g butter
2 medium (about 300g) onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
500g minced beet
2 medium (about 240g) carrots, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup beet stock
1 teaspoon celery salt

TOPPING
4 large (about 800g) potatoes
40g butter
1/2 cup finely grated Swiss cheese

Heat butter in pan, add onions, garlic and mince, cook, stirring, until mince is browned. Add carrots, paste, parsley, stock and salt, simmer, covered, about 20 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Spoon mixture into ovenproof dish (6 cup capacity), spread with topping, roughen topping with fork. Bake, uncovered, in moderately hot oven until heated through and browned.

Topping: Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender; drain. Combine potatoes with butter in bowl, mash until smooth, stir in cheese; mix well. Serves 6.

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