Mini Cottage Pies
These mini cottage pies are so fun to make and beyond delicious to eat!
Servings: 12 mini pies
Cost: £2 / $2.50
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Pan & Wooden Spoon (for filling)
- Jug (for stock)
- Large Pot, Colander & Potato Masher (for potatoes)
- Cheese Grater
- 12 Hole Muffin Tin (see notes)
Ingredients
- 2x 320g/11.3oz sheets of Shortcrust Pastry
- Oil Spray of Melted Butter, to grease tin
Filling
- drizzle of Olive Oil
- 1 medium Onion, finely diced
- 1 medium Carrot, finely diced
- 75g / 2.5oz Mushrooms, finely diced (I use Chestnut Mushrooms)
- 1 clove of Garlic, finely diced
- 500g / 1lb Minced/Ground Beef (10-12% works great)
- 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
- 60ml / 1/4 cup Red Wine
- 300ml / 1 1/4 cups Beef Stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 heaped tbsp Beef Gravy Granules (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Dried Thyme, Dried Rosemary
Mash
- 750g / 1.6lb Baking Potatoes
- 90g / 3oz Cheddar, grated
- 3 tbsp Whole Milk or Cream
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1/2 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
Filling
- Add a drizzle of oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, mushrooms and garlic and sweat it all down until it softens and starts to lightly colour. Add the beef and fry until browned all over, breaking it up with your wooden spoon as you go.
- Stir in the tomato puree then add the wine. Simmer for a few mins to allow the beef to soak it up, then pour in the beef stock. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, gravy granules, thyme and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat to low and simmer for around 20-25 minutes until the gravy is nice and thick. Adjust seasoning if needed then leave to cool for 10-15 mins.
Mash
- Peel and dice the potatoes in chunks, then add to a large pot of heavily salted cold water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender. Drain and give them a shake, then leave them in the colander for 5 minutes to allow moisture to escape (watery potatoes = sloppy mash).
- Add the potatoes back to the pot and mash with the butter, cream/milk, cheese, nutmeg and salt & pepper.
Pies
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F.
- Slice 12x 10cm/4" circles from the pastry. Grease the tin holes then place in the pastry, ensuring you gently press it against the tin, creating 12 'cups'. Spoon in the filling then top with the mash.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the mash is golden and crisp with the filling starting to leak around the edges. The pastry should also be deep golden and crisp.
- Rest for 5 mins then carefully scoop them out and enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Gravy Granules - These are used to thicken the sauce and add flavour. I highly recommend using a trusted brand such as Bisto. If you're struggling to find gravy granules, I recommend stirring in 1 tbsp flour into the mince after the tomato puree and before the wine. Fry it off for a few mins to get rid of that floury taste, then gradually pour in the liquid to avoid lumps.
b) Pastry Size - My tin holes were 7cm/2.7" wide, so cutting the pastry 10cm/4" wide allowed it to fit in perfectly with a tiny rim at the top. I had a ramekin that was perfect size, but just use anything you can find with a similar size (mug, bowl etc).
c) Prep Ahead - If you want to prep these ahead of time you must make sure the filling and mash are both completely cool before you stack the pies, otherwise the pastry will steam and go soggy. Just tightly store in the fridge then preferably take out the fridge 30 mins or so before baking (just to take the chill out of the centre). You could also freeze them then thaw in the fridge before baking. Just be aware that the best results are when they are baked fresh - they'll be slightly drier if you make them ahead of time.
d) Calories - Per pie.
Nutrition
Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.53g | Protein: 14.78g | Fat: 19.65g | Saturated Fat: 7.078g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.743g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.116g | Trans Fat: 0.391g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 2.18g | Vitamin A: 1007IU | Vitamin C: 14.1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2.59mg