Hearty Potato Pom Pom Cottage Pie

This pie is a 2020s twist on a beloved Kiwi classic that’s quick and easy to prepare, perfect for warming up during the winter months.

Back in the mid-1990s, when Allyson Gofton and her team introduced Food In A Minute, they had a sense they had struck gold. Reflecting on the show's 25th anniversary during an interview with The Breeze, she said, "...it was the lead-in to the news, so back in the day, people would set their video [recorders] to 5:58 or 5:59pm."

Without a doubt, there's one recipe from the show that has stood the test of time. Allyson revealed, "The pom poms on top of the cottage pie, it went absolutely crazy, they had to import the product. By the second week, they were flying it in from Europe."

You can find the original recipe here, and below we've added a few extra ingredients and touches to elevate your midweek menu this winter.

Ingredients:

• Splash of olive oil
• 500g mince (beef or lamb)
• 1 bag of potato pom poms
• 1 cup of grated cheese
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 6 large button mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 cup of frozen corn
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed (or 1 teaspoon of pre-minced)
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 1 large glass of red wine
• 2 cups beef stock
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
2. In a large pan, soften the onions with a splash of olive oil before adding the mince to brown.
3. Add salt, pepper, tomato paste, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. Continue to fry on low heat until well combined.
4. Sprinkle flour evenly over the mince, then stir through.
5. Add in the chopped vegetables and lightly braise them before adding the stock and wine.
6. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened to your liking.
7. Transfer the mince mixture to a deep oven-proof dish and sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top.
8. Arrange the potato pom poms across the mince, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
9. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the pom poms are golden brown.

TIP: You can make things even easier by using frozen mixed vegetables, and feel free to swap or add any ingredients according to your preference. It really is hard to fail with this recipe so make it your own!