Cottage Pie ( Shepard's Pie)

Cottage Pie, also know as Shepard's Pie is the recipe that I have chosen  to share today.
The first time that I had this dish was in London at the home of a family. I found it very delicious and have made it ever since.
The history behind the dish goes back to thr middle ages, only that back then the dish did not have potatoes since these came into Great Britain in the mid or late 1500.  The dish consisted in using leftover meat (beef, mutton and game) cut in small portions and spiced up with currants, cinnamon and other fruits and leftover vegetables, then it was put into a pastry coffyn.  As potatoes became accepted and part of the British  diet this  recipe changed from a pastry coffyn to using mash potatoes or slice potatoes to create  a pie.  This did not take place till the 18th century.
The actual difference between Cottage pie and Shepard's pies is that Cottage pie uses minced or ground beef and Shepard's pie should use lamb or mutton.   Also originally the name Cottage came form the potatoes being sliced rather than pureed  and placed over the dish in a manner that resembled the slates of cottage roofs.
The recipe that I will share today is made of minced beef, vegetables, mashed potatoes and a tomato paste with cheese.  Other versions  will be made without the tomato paste and instead there will be a gravy broth.  I will give this other version on the side.

Cottage pie

One pound of ground beef or shredded beef
One onion
Two or three garlic cloves
wostershire sauce
mixed vegetables ( carrots,peas,beans, etc.)
Six large potatoes
Milk
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary
A good tomato sauce or paste
English cheddar cheese

(Alternate recipe)
Substitute the mixed vegetables for mushrooms with exta onion and garlic in a half butter/ half olive oil sauce with red wine.  Add the mashed potatoes and and over this the cheese  ( Use Swiss instead of Cheddar).  The layer of beef should be a little more saucy)

First you will brown the meat with the chopped onion and the garlic.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Once browned add some rosemary and wostershire sauce with a little bit of water.  You do not want it to be too liquide but it should have a gravy consistency.  Let it cook slow over the stove adding water as needed for about an hour till the meat is very tender .

Once this part is done layer overa already buttered baking dish.

Second Cook in a saucepan some vegetables till tender.  Drain water and add over the layer of meat in baking dish after adding some butter and salt.

Third  Cook your potatoes ( about six large) till tender with some salt.  Drain water and mash  and add milk, butter and seasoning to taste.  Once this is smooth you will layer it over the vegetables.

Fourth You wil prepare a tomato sauce. This you can do with by cooking some fresh tomatoes ( fresh is always best, but it takes more time) all finelly chopped and add one or two cloves of garlic, one buillon cube, one teaspoon os sugar in a frying pan with some olive oil.  Let cook slowly till extra liquid is consumed and then strain the bits of skin from the tomatoes so that is has a smooth consistency.  All this you can use instead a tomato sauce from a can.  Once this is done you add this tomato sauce to the mash potatoes and then just grate some cheddar cheese.

Place in a hot  oven to cook for about 15 or 20 minutes and serve.  ( serves about six people)