Gut-Loving Cottage Pie by Welleasy

Ingredients

• 400 g beef mince
• 1 can black lentils, drained and rinsed
• 400 g passata
• 500 ml beef bone broth
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, oregano)
• 1 cup peas
• 2 tbsp ghee or olive oil, plus more for mash
• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 3 large white potatoes
• 50 g mature cheddar, grated, optional
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake for 35-45 minutes, until completely soft.
2. Boil the white potatoes in salted water for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain well and set aside.
3. Heat the ghee or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic, and celery for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
4. Add the beef mince and cook for 3-4 minutes, breaking it up, until browned.
5. Stir in the herbs, passata, bone broth, grated carrot, and lentils. Season with salt and pepper, then simmer for 35-45 minutes, until thickened and reduced.
6. Stir in the peas and cook for 2 minutes, just until heated through. Remove from the heat.
7. Scoop the flesh from the baked sweet potatoes and mash it with the boiled white potatoes, cheddar if using, ghee, salt, and pepper until smooth and fluffy.
8. Transfer the beef mixture to a baking dish, spoon the mash over the top, and rough up the surface with a fork.
9. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp at the edges. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.