Air Fryer Shepherd's/Cottage Pie (Joshua Weissman Recipe)

Source video by Joshua Weissman on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules and is marked for human review.

This is Joshua Weissman's take on a classic cottage pie (he calls it shepherd's pie, though the original uses beef): seasoned beef and bacon mince cooked down with mushrooms, soffritto vegetables, tomato paste, red wine, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock, finished with frozen peas. It is topped with a smooth riced potato mash enriched with butter, milk, crème fraîche and Gruyère, then finished with Parmesan and more Gruyère for a bubbling cheesy crust. The original recipe bakes in the oven, so this version is adapted for the air fryer using a smaller ovenproof dish that fits the basket. Rest the pie for around 20 minutes after cooking for a cleaner slice.

Ingredients

• 1200 grusset (or Maris Piper) potatoes, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes
• 115 gunsalted butter
• 120 mlwhole milk
• 85 gcrème fraîche
• 75 gGruyère cheese, grated
• fine salt
• black pepper, freshly ground

• 680 gbeef chuck roast, sliced into long strips for mincing (or use ready-minced beef)
• 170 gsmoky bacon, chopped into 1cm pieces
• 1 tbspunsalted butter
• 3 wholetrumpet mushrooms (or button mushrooms), diced (or use 6 diced button mushrooms)
• 1 wholeyellow onion, diced
• 1 stickcelery, diced
• 1 wholecarrot, diced
• 4 clovesgarlic cloves, sliced
• 30 gtomato paste
• 120 mlred wine
• 30 mlWorcestershire sauce
• 5 gfresh thyme, chopped
• 6 gfresh rosemary, chopped
• 240 mlbeef stock
• 140 gfrozen peas (add late)

• 75 gParmigiano Reggiano, finely grated (add late)
• 75 gGruyère cheese, grated (add late)

• fresh chives, chopped (add late)

Method

1. Tip the cubed potatoes into a medium pot, cover with cold water and season generously with salt. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, then boil for 7 to 10 minutes until easily pierced with a fork but not falling apart. Drain well.

   ~15 min

2. In a small saucepan, warm the butter and whole milk together over medium heat until the butter has melted and the mixture is steaming hot.

   ~3 min

3. Pass the drained potatoes through a potato ricer for a fine mash (or mash thoroughly with a hand masher). Stir in the hot butter and milk mixture, then the crème fraîche, then the 75g grated Gruyère. Season to taste with salt and pepper and mix until smooth. Set aside.

   ~5 min

4. If mincing your own meat, combine the beef chuck strips and chopped bacon and pass through a meat grinder. Knead the mince briefly like dough to emulsify the fat. Skip this step if using ready-minced beef and finely chopped bacon.

   ~5 min

5. Heat a large pan or wide pot over medium-high heat until very hot, with no oil. Add the beef and bacon mince, press it flat and sear for about 3 minutes. Flip the whole patty and sear the other side for another 3 minutes. Break it up with a hand masher into a very fine crumble.

   ~8 min

6. Continue cooking over medium-high heat: liquid will release, then evaporate, leaving the rendered fat. Season with salt and pepper and let the mince fry in its own fat until evenly browned. Lift the mince out and set aside, leaving the fat behind if possible.

   ~8 min

7. Add the tablespoon of butter to the same pan over medium heat. Once bubbling, add the diced mushrooms and let them sear until they start to brown.

   ~4 min

8. Add the diced onion, celery, carrot and sliced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the vegetables start to soften but still have bite.

   ~3 min

9. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes until it starts to caramelise on the base of the pan.

   ~2 min

10. Deglaze with the red wine (or stock plus a splash of vinegar), then add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and rosemary. Bring to the boil and reduce until almost all the liquid has gone.

    ~5 min

11. Return the browned mince to the pan and pour in the beef stock. Season to taste, then simmer for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is piping hot. Stir in the frozen peas and cook just until they are heated through.

    ~4 min

12. Tip the meat and pea mixture into an air-fryer-safe ovenproof dish (or two smaller dishes if needed to fit your basket). Spread out evenly and press down so the filling is compact.

    ~2 min

13. Gently spoon the mash over the top and spread to the edges to fully seal the filling. Grate the Parmesan and the remaining 75g Gruyère evenly over the top, then run a fork over the surface to create ridges for extra crispness.

    ~4 min

14. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Cook the pie for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted, bubbling and golden in places. Check at 12 minutes and shield with foil if the top is browning too fast.

    ~18 min

15. Rest for around 20 minutes before serving for the cleanest slice. Scatter with chopped chives if using.

    ~20 min

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