Cottage pie gets a noticeably better flavour and a crispier topping when you sprinkle one common fridge ingredient over it before cooking: sharp cheddar cheese. The tip comes from Jessie-Sierra Ross, founder of Straight To The Hips Baby, who says the cheese's punchiness helps cut through the fattiness of the meat filling.
Ross said: "Sharp cheddar cheese! The punchiness of the grated cheese helps to cut the fattiness of the meat filling. It's delicious and most certainly decadent."
While it may seem obvious, many home cooks simply use whatever cheese is in the fridge, which can turn the topping stretchy and gooey rather than satisfyingly crispy. Cheddar melts into a bubbling, golden crust that pairs well with creamy mashed potatoes, and its rich, full-bodied flavour enhances the savoury taste of the dish.
Why cheddar beats other cheeses
Using a different cheese won't ruin the pie, but the topping will be considerably softer and may become runny and tricky to slice. Some other cheeses add excessive creaminess to mashed potatoes, making them overly rich and dense. That is why cheddar remains the superior choice.
How to make cottage pie with cheddar
For the beef filling, you will need 450g of minced beef, two tablespoons of olive oil, one medium onion, one shallot, four large carrots, two large celery stalks, three cloves of garlic, four stems of fresh thyme, three tablespoons of plain flour, 600ml of beef broth, one tablespoon of tomato paste, two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, one tablespoon of whiskey, salt, pepper and parsley for garnish.
For the potatoes, you will need 1.4kg of potatoes, six tablespoons of butter, 60ml of cream, 60ml of milk, 170g of cheddar cheese, salt and pepper.
Start by placing a casserole dish over a low heat and adding the oil. Once hot, add the minced beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook for six to 10 minutes until browned. Transfer the cooked beef to a bowl, keeping the oil and drippings in the pan. Finely chop the onions, shallot, carrots and celery, then cook them in the dish over medium heat with the thyme, salt and pepper for about five minutes until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for two to three minutes.
Pour in the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and whiskey. Bring to the boil while stirring, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Return the cooked mince to the pot and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates and the filling thickens.
Meanwhile, make the mashed potato topping. Fill a saucepan with cold water, add a pinch of salt and the potatoes, then cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes until fork-tender. Drain and mash until smooth. In a jug, microwave the butter, milk and cream in 30-second increments until the butter has melted. Pour the hot buttery mixture over the potatoes and stir thoroughly. Fold in half of the grated cheese, season with salt and pepper, and the topping is ready.
Baking the pie
Take the filling off the heat and leave it to rest for five minutes. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Spoon the cheddar mashed potatoes onto the filling and smooth into a thick layer. Scatter the remaining cheddar cheese over the top. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
