Shepheds, Cottage or Cumberland Pie

This was one of my favourite meals when I was a kid and I still love it now. Really comforting and satisfying traditional British food. I've tried other versions but this 1 with the carrots is my favourite. Serve with boiled cabbage or peas and plenty of gravy. Can also be made with lamb mince Yum! The recipe given is for shepherds pie. For cottage pie, add a sprinkling of grated cheese over the top before baking. For cumberland pie, add a sprinkling of breadcrumbs on top before adding the cheese but personally, I don't think it needs either of these. I'm a shepherds man through and through!

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 500  g beef mince (ground)
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  medium carrots, chopped quite small
• 1  beef stock cube
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (can use brown HP sauce)
• 1  tablespoon  beef gravy granules
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon mixed herbs
• 500  ml water
•  salt
•  pepper
• 5  large potatoes (boiled and mashed with salt, pepper, butter and milk)

Directions

1. Fry the mince in the oil over a high heat until completely browned and broken down, add the onion half way through.
2. Now add the carrots and the crumbled beef stock cube, mix well, add the Worcestershire sauce and the water along with the herbs and cook until almost all of the water has evaporated and the carrots are soft.
3. Add the gravy granules and mix well. You should now have quite a thick mixture. You don't want it too thick so add a little more water if needed.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste and put into an ovenproof dish.
5. Top with the mash potatoes and bake in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes until browned on top.