How to make a thatched cottage pie with leftovers

Sucker for the British classics? This cottage pie is simple to prepare and requires nothing but a handful of leftovers

Thirty-minute meal: A no-stress approach to cooking up a family favourite

Good old thatched cottage pie made from leftovers

Prep: 10 mins
​Cook: 20 mins

Serves 4

400g Rooster potatoes, peeled 
400g left over roast beef, roughly chopped
1 large onion
1 celery stick
2 carrots
100g frozen peas
​1tsp tomato puree
​1tsp plain flour
400ml beef stock made with a stock cube
1/2tbsp brown sauce
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
1tbsp olive oil

Turn your oven to 200/Gas Mark 5. Place the onion, celery and carrot into a food processor and wiz a couple of times until finely chopped.

In a large frying pan add the olive oil and cook the vegetables until soft but not browned.  Next add the tomato puree and cook for a further minute before stirring in the plain flour. 

Pour in the beef stock and brown sauce and bring to the boil. Once boiling turn the heat down and add the chopped leftover roast beef. And simmer away for 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and half of the rosemary, season with a little salt and milled pepper then tip into a smallish deep sided oven dish. Coarsely grate the potato and place into clean tea towel and squeeze the potatoes dry.

Season with a little salt and milled pepper. Cover the cottage pie filling with the grated potato, sprinkle over the remaining rosemary and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until the top is crispy.

You can pop the thatched cottage pie under a medium grill to crisp up if you like.

Recipe from lovepotatoes.co.uk