Classic Beef & Pork Cottage Pie With Cheesy Mash

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Boil a kettle

Peel your potatoes and chop them into small bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped potatoes to a pot of boiled water, bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender, once done, drain and return to the pot to steam dry

While the potatoes are cooking, reboil half a kettle

Peel and finely chop your red onion[s]

Top, tail, and dice your carrot[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the chopped onion, diced carrot and chopped garlic with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 min or until beginning to soften

Meanwhile, dissolve your beef stock mix and tomato paste in 250ml [325ml] [400ml] boiled water with a pinch of sugar and stir in your Marmite – this is your tomato stock

Once the vegetables have softened, increase the heat to high and add your mince to the pan then cook for 3-4 min or until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go

Once the mince has browned, add the tomato stock to the pan

Season with a grind of black pepper and cook for 5 min or until slightly thickened and the mince is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your mince mixture

While the mince mixture thickens, return the drained potatoes to a low heat with a small knob of butter and a pinch of salt and pepper

Mash until smooth

Grate your Italian hard cheese

Once the mince mixture has thickened, transfer it to an oven-proof dish

Top with the mashed potato and sprinkle over the grated Italian hard cheese

Put the dish in the oven for 15-20 min or until golden brown and bubbling – this is your cottage pie

While your cottage pie is cooking, reboil a kettle

Add your blanched peas to a pot, cover them with boiling water (just enough to cover them) with a pinch of salt, bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 1 min or until they're warmed through