Cottage Macaroni Pie

For those of you who read this blog regularly (plug for email subscription here - see the box on the right sidebar) you will know I visited Roddas Creamery last Thursday. Not only did I come away with a pot of the famous Cornish Clotted Cream (with which I made a Mushroom and Clotted Cream risotto) they also let me have a couple of pots of their creme fraiche. So, for dinner last night I decided to make a cross between a cottage pie and a macaroni cheese, using the creme fraiche for an easy cheese sauce for the pasta. Roddas creme fraiche is thick, yellowy in colour and doesn't split on cooking - perfect for this!

It was a yummy success and as I processed the vegetables beforehand - toddler was none the wiser! If you are making this just for adults then add one 1 red chilli to spice it up a bit.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients: to serve 6

2 TBSP Garlic Oil

1 Onion

1 Leek

1 Celery stalk

1 Carrot, peeled

1 TBSP fresh Thyme leaves

750g Minced Beef

1 Tin chopped Tomatoes

200ml Beef Stock

2 TBSP Ketchup

Splash of Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and Pepper

For the topping;

200g Strong Cheddar, grated

200ml Creme Fraiche (I used Roddas)

200g Macaroni

1/2 tsp Mustard

Salt and Pepper

Method:

Step 1: Process the onion, leek, celery, carrot and garlic in the processor (or chop finely)

Step 2: Heat the garlic oil in a large pan and fry the blitzed veg and thyme for 5 minutes until soft.

Step 3: Turn the heat up and add the minced beef, fry until brown then add the tomatoes, stock, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, plus seasoning. Simmer on a low heat for about an hour.

Step 4: Meanwhile put a pan of salted water onto boil. When at boiling point add the macaroni. Place a large glass bowl over the pan add add the creme fraiche, cheese and mustard. By the time the macaroni is cooked you should have a silky smooth cheese sauce.

Step 5: Preheat oven to 180c and spoon the meat mixture into an ovenproof dish. Pour over the cheesy macaroni and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until brown and bubbling. Serve with garden peas.

Other recipes you might enjoy;
Speedy Bolognese
Chicken Enchiladas
Mushroom and Clotted Cream Risotto