Made with minced leftover roast beef and topped with mashed potato, this was a childhood favourite, as was shepherd's pie, a similar dish using the remains of the lamb roast.
These days, I sometimes make a cottage pie using fresh beef mince. This rather upmarket version has the choice of two toppings, the more conventional potato mash or a polenta and Parmesan gnocchi. I've called the gnocchi-topped version Roman cobbler.
Gnocchi are small Italian dumplings made from ingredients including pasta dough, semolina, polenta and potato.
Shaped into thimble-sized balls, the gnocchi is poached in simmering water then served with a sauce or melted butter and grated cheese.
Roman gnocchi is a baked version containing Parmesan cheese and egg. Smooth and creamy in the middle and crisp on the outside, this is a different and delicious topping for the meat sauce
Meat sauce:
Tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1kg prime beef mince
100g bacon, trimmed, finely chopped
4 Tbsp plain flour
¾ cup beef stock
¾ cup red wine
3 Tbsp tomato paste cup
¼ chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Potato mash:
900g floury potatoes (Agria are good), peeled
3-4 Tbsp light sour cream
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg, size 7, beaten
salt to taste
Parmesan and polenta gnocchi:
250ml standard milk
350ml good strong chicken stock
120g instant polenta
60g grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg, size 7, beaten
To make the meat sauce
Heat the oil in a large frypan and cook the onions over moderate heat for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, mince and bacon to the frypan.
Saute, breaking up the lumps of mince and continue stirring until the meat loses its pink colour. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring for 2 minutes more.
Add the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, parsley, rosemary and cinnamon. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The sauce can be refrigerated for up to two days at this stage if convenient Bring to room temperature before continuing.
Spoon meat into a 10-cup capacity ovenproof dish, cover with lid or foil and bake in an oven preheated to 180degC for about 40 minutes, or 50 minutes if heating from cold.
Make the topping of your choice.
Potato topping
Cut potatoes into even-sized pieces and boil or steam until very tender.
Drain and mash with sour cream and cayenne pepper. Add the egg and beat with a fork to make it fluffy. Add salt to taste.
Remove the meat sauce from the oven and spoon the potato mash on top, fluffing it up with a fork. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling bubbling.
Parmesan and polenta gnocchi
This golden topping is a cheesy Italian gnocchi mixture which is no trouble to make. It can also be served with a rich tomato sauce instead of the meat mixture.
Make the topping at least an hour in advance or up to two days before required.
Bring the milk and chicken stock to the boil in a heavy-based saucepan. Remove from the heat and gradually add the polenta, stirring constantly. Place saucepan back over the heat, continue simmering until the polenta is really thick and starts to come away from the side of the saucepan, about 3-4 minutes, stirring all the time.
Remove from the heat and add grated cheese, cayenne pepper and the egg and mix well. Return to a low heat and cook, stirring for a minute more.
Oil a 21cm x 21cm cake tin or roasting dish of a similar size and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the tin. Cover with cling film and leave to cool completely, in the fridge. When cool turn out on to a board and cut into diamond shapes and arrange on top of the hot meat sauce.
Return to the oven, increase the heat to 200degC and cook for about 20-25 minutes more until the surface of the gnocchi forms a golden crust.
Serve with a green vegetable or salad.
Serves 6.
- Joan Bishop.
