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Baked Bean Cottage Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

For the meat layer:
1 onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
500g lean minced beef
2 beef stock cubes
3 tbsp HP sauce
415g can reduced sugar and salt baked beans

For the topping:
900g large potato
3 medium carrots
25g butter
good splash skimmed milk
40g mature cheddar
4 small tomatoes
Method

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.
Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry them until golden, stirring occasionally.

Add the mince and brown.
Pour in a mug of water, crumble in the stock cubes, then measure in the HP sauce.
Cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for 20 mins, stirring every now and then.

Put a large pan of salted water on the hob to boil and cover with the lid.
When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the potatoes
are soft when you stick a knife in.
Drain, return to the pan with the butter and milk, then mash until smooth.

Stir the beans into the meat mixture, simmer for a few mins, then spoon the mixture into 4 mini pie dishes.
Spoon the mash on top and spread over the filling, right to the edges of the dish so none of the layer
below shows.

Put pie dishes on a baking tray.
Grate cheese, sprinkle on top, then cut tomatoes into wedges and arrange on top.
Bake for 35 mins or until tops are golden.




Sausage and Mash Pie

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

1kg potato cut into even chunks
25g butter
4 tbsp milk
85g Red Leicester or cheddar, finely diced
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Sunflower oil
1 large onion chopped
8 large meaty pork & leek sausages, removed from their skins
175ml chicken stock
2 tomatoes each cut into 6 wedges
veg of your choice or baked beans, to serve
Method

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Boil the potatoes for 20 mins, then drain and mash with the butter, milk and seasoning. Stir in the Red Leicester or cheddar.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the onion,stirring frequently, for 5 mins until softened. Add the sausages and break them up with a wooden spoon until you get a texture similar to chunky mince. Pour in the stock and simmer for 8 mins.

Spoon the sausage mixture into 4 individual pie dishes. Top with the cheesy mash. You can freeze the pies for up to 2 months. Simply thaw in the fridge before baking. Bake for 25-30 mins until starting to turn golden. Top with the tomato wedges and serve with your child’s favourite veg or baked beans.




Rosti Bolognese

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients

700g potatoes
4 medium carrots
2 celery sticks
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp olive oil
500g pack lean minced beef
400g can chopped tomatoes
350g jar sweet red pepper sauce
50g mature cheddar, grated
Method

Boil the potatoes for about 15 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to cool. Finely chop the carrots, celery and garlic in a food processor. Heat half the oil in a pan with a lid and add the chopped vegetables. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Remove the lid, turn the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes until browned. Add the tomatoes and sweet pepper sauce plus 4 tbsp of water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 25 minutes and season.

Preheat the oven to fan 180C/conventional 200C/ gas 6. Peel the potatoes and grate them into a bowl. Add the remaining oil and three quarters of the cheese, season and mix lightly.

Spoon the beef into an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the rösti topping and sprinkle over the rest of the cheese. Bake for 35 minutes until bubbling and golden.




Tasty Cottage Pies

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the meat layer
2 onions
2 tbsp olive oil
500g lean minced beef, preferably organic
2 beef stock cubes
3 tbsp HP sauce
415g can reduced sugar and salt baked beans

For the topping
900g large potatoes
3 medium carrots
25g butter
good splash skimmed milk
40g mature cheddar
4 small tomatoes
broccoli florets or peas, to serve (optional)
Method
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Halve the onions on the chopping board using the sharp knife. Peel off the skins, then thinly slice the onions. Heat oil in a large frying pan, add the onions (take care the oil doesn’t spit), then fry them until golden, stirring occasionally
Add the mince, breaking up the block of meat with the wooden spoon until it looks like crumbs. Pour in a mug of water, crumble in the stock cubes, then measure in the HP sauce. Cover the pan and simmer on a low heat for 10 mins, stirring every now and then.

Put a large pan of salted water on the hob to boil and cover with the lid. Peel the skin off the potatoes with a vegetable peeler, then cut into quarters on the chopping board. Trim the ends from the carrots, peel, then thickly slice.

When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and carrots (an adult should do it as the water will splash). Cover and simmer for 20 mins until the potatoes are soft when you stick a knife in. Drain, return to the pan with the butter and milk, then mash until smooth with an electric whisk or potato masher.

Stir the beans into the meat mixture, simmer for a few mins, then spoon the mixture into 4 mini pie dishes. Spoon the mash on top and spread over the filling, right to the edges of the dish so none of the layer below shows.

Put pie dishes on a baking tray. Grate cheese, sprinkle on top, then cut tomatoes into wedges and arrange on top. Carefully put the pies in the oven using oven gloves. Bake for 35 mins or until tops are golden. Let pies cool a little before eating as they will be very hot. Serve with broccoli or peas.