I’ve been on a one-pan cast iron kick lately. This is a slightly spicy cottage pie, but you can leave the spicy stuff out and just use a generic Italian spice blend.
Recipe is for a 12″ cast iron pan.
- 3 lbs russet spuds
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 2 cups peas and carrots
- Fine chopped onion
- 2lbs 93% lean ground cow
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour.
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Grappa Spice blend, or generic Italian spice blend.
- 1 Cup broth (chicken or beef)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce.
Spuds:
- 1/4 then boil the spuds in pot with 1 tablespoon salt, then simmer til soft ( 8-10- minutes)
- Drain then place back in pan, mash til smooth.
- Whisk in milk, 1/4 stick of butter & egg, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Filling:
- Heat 12″ cast iron pan over medium heat
- Melt in the leftover 1/4 stick of butter
- Add carrots, peas and onions, dash of salt, cook til soft ( 5 minutes)
- Add ground beef, cook til browned. Break it up as you go.
- Add tomato paste, garlic and spices and cook for a minute.
- Mix in flour, cook another minute or so
- Add Worcestershire sauce and broth, stir well.
- Season to taste
- Simmer and mix until filling thickens up where you like it, 10-12 minutes.
Start your broiler.
- Layer the spuds onto the filling with wide spoon or one of those rubber spatulas.
- Make a design into the top, something with ridges.
- Broil 5-6 inches from the broiler until the ridges crisp up.
- Let it cool and firm up 10-15 minutes.
Devour with 5-6 of your friends. Or, package into individual lunch containers for the week if you have no friends.
