Easy, foolproof hachis parmentier (french cottage pie)

Ingredients

Mashed potatoes:

• 1 3/4 lb potatoes
• 3 Tbsp milk
• 2 oz butter
• salt
• pepper
• nutmeg

Meat:

• 1 drizzle of olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• salt
• pepper
• 2/3 cup broth
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 4 Tbsp breadcrumbs

Materials

• Sieve
• cooking pot
• pan
• gratin dish
• garlic press

Preparation

• Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces. Cook them in a large pot of boiling salted water for 20 minutes. Check that they’re tender, then drain.
• Mash the potatoes, then add the milk and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Add the butter, cut into small pieces, and mix again.
  
  * You can use a sieve to make a very smooth mash.
  
• Chop the onions and brown them in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and a knob of butter. Add the crushed garlic and stir until the onions become translucent.
• Add the minced meat, salt and pepper and brown over medium/high heat until the meat is cooked.
  
• Add the broth and let everything reduce over medium heat, stirring regularly.
• When the liquid has reduced, add the chopped parsley and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
  
• Transfer the meat to the baking dish.
• Spread the mashed potatoes over the entire surface and smooth the top.
  
• Using a fork, score the surface of the mashed potatoes.
  *You can create any pattern you like; we made a sort of wavy pattern.
• Generously sprinkle the mashed potatoes layer with breadcrumbs.
  
• Broil the hachis parmentier for at least 10 minutes. Place the dish near the top of the oven and keep an eye on it: the top should be nicely browned and golden, but not burnt.
• And there you have it—your hachis parmentier is ready!
  

Observations

The mashed potatoes:
Using a sieve will give you a very smooth mash. This step is optional.
You can change up the recipe by adding sweet potato or squash to your mash.

The meat:
You can use ground beef or another type of ground meat (or even substitute plant-based mince or textured soy protein). Hachis parmentier is a great dish for using up leftovers, and you can even combine several types of meat.

The breadcrumbs:
They create a crispy crust on top of the dish and add extra texture. Of course, they’re optional.

How to store hachis parmentier?
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap. It’s best reheated in the oven.

Can you freeze hachis parmentier?
You can freeze hachis parmentier. It’s best reheated in the oven.

Cookware

Attributes

Questions

Photos of members who cooked this recipe