Italian cottage pie

• floury potatoes↗700g g

  sliced

• butter↗25g g
• grated parmesan50g g
• pancetta↗140g g

  or streaky bacon, cut into strips

• oregano↗2

  sprigs, leaves stripped, or 2 tsp dried oregano

• ½ quantity beef

  with red wine & carrots (see 'Goes well with')

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   First, prepare the beef with red wine and carrots (see 'Goes well with'). You will need half of the finished stew for this recipe.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 220 °C/200 °C fan/gas 7. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes until almost tender. Drain well, then combine with the butter and half of the Parmesan.

3. 3

   In a large saucepan, fry the pancetta or bacon until golden. Stir in the fresh oregano leaves or dried oregano, then add the beef stew and heat through. Transfer to an oven‑proof dish and top with the cheesy potatoes, overlapping. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes until golden and crisp on top. Serve with a green salad.