Mince and potato bake

Mince and potato bake is a delicious twist on a cottage pie. The difference is that the potatoes are sliced and arranged on the bottom of the dish instead of being mashed on the top! So instead of crispy potato topping you get creamy potatoes underneath that have absorbed all the flavours from the mince and gravy, and it's all topped with a gooey melted cheese.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound / 450 grams lean beef mince / ground beef
• 1 pound / 450 gram potatoes
• 1 medium leek (thinly sliced on the diagonal)
• 1 small stalk celery (diced)
• 1 large carrot (peeled and diced)
• 1 medium white onion (peeled and diced)
• 4 ounces 115 grams mushrooms (diced)
• 1 cup / 240 ml passata
• 1 cup / 240 ml beef stock (use a stock cube if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sunflower or olive oil (for frying)
• 1/2 cup 60 grams grated cheese

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Heat 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil in a pan and fry the beef with half a teaspoon of salt, on moderate to high heat, breaking it up with a spatula, until it is browned and crumbly. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and discard any excess fat (if there is any). Leave one to two tablespoons of fat in the pan to fry the vegetables.
2. 2In the same pan fry the vegetables (except the potatoes) with the garlic until they start to soften and the onions have turned translucent. Add another splash of oil if necessary.
3. 3Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to fry until the mushrooms have released their moisture.
4. 4Add the meat back to the pan, pour in the tomato passata and stock and add the paprika and Worcestershire sauce. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. 5Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 360°F
6. 6While the mince is simmering, parboil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 6 - 8 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes). They should be firm enough to pierce with a knife. Drain and cool them by running cold water into the pan.
7. 7Slice the potatoes thinly and arrange them in the bottom of a 10" x 7" oven-proof casserole dish.
8. 8Taste the mince for seasoning and add extra salt and black pepper if necessary. Cover the potatoes with the mince mixture.
9. 9Sprinkle the top of the mince with grated cheese.
10. 10Cover the dish with tinfoil (or a lid) and bake the casserole in a preheated oven (180C / 360F) for 45 minutes. Remove the tinfoil and bake for another 5 to 8 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.