Cottage Pie

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground beef
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup carrot, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• ½ cup dry red wine
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 ½ lbs potatoes, diced
• ½ cup whole milk
• 5 tbsp butter
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a cast iron pan, add ground beef with a pinch of salt and cook until crispy.
3. Remove the beef, leaving behind a teaspoon of fat.
4. Add butter, onion, celery, carrot, and a bit more salt to the pan and cook until tender.
5. Add garlic and tomato paste, and let it cook for 60 more seconds.
6. Stir in flour, then add beef broth, red wine, peas, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
7. Cook until it becomes a thick gravy, then remove the herbs and add back the ground beef.
8. Let the mixture cool while preparing the topping.
9. In a pot, bring water and salt to a boil, then add diced potatoes and cook until tender.
10. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan, and add milk, butter, and Parmesan.
11. Mash until creamy.
12. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top of the beef mixture, then top with melted butter and Parmesan.
13. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.