Potato and mince pie

How to prepare a meatloaf . This is one of the meat recipes that many people of my generation have grown up with. A classic of menus at home, since mothers know all the tricks for their children to eat prepared food without question.

Imagine  this meatloaf with its mashed potatoes, a very tasty minced meat filling and to top off a little cheese to give it that delicious touch of gratin in the oven.

This combination is a sure value to succeed at the table, both with children and adults. It can be made from scratch but on the other hand it is also perfect as a recipe for use, using any type of meat that we have left over from other dishes, especially stews and stews .

This specific preparation comes from Anglo-Saxon gastronomy , where it is called ” Cottage Pie ” (rustic cake). A very popular recipe from the 18th century in England. With this cake, the humblest people took advantage of the leftover meat, accompanied by a mashed potato. Until a century later, in 1877, it did not appear as a recipe proper.

With the emigration to the United States, this and many other recipes traveled to the other side of the Atlantic, where they have also become very popular. In many Latin American countries it is a recipe present in most homes, where it is known as “ potato cake ”.

I remember eating it at the home of my Argentine cousins, who told me that it is a typical recipe from their mother back in Córdoba (Argentina). You will see how it becomes a fixed recipe at home. I hope you like it and you will prepare it.

Preparation of mashed potatoes

1. We begin by cooking the potatoes with skin (so that they do not absorb more water), until we prick them and check that they are in their point. We remove them from the water and reserve. We need them to be tempered to remove the skin without burning, with about 5-6 minutes is more than enough, the skin will come off easily.
2. Chop the potatoes into cubes, season to taste and mash them with the help of a fork. We want to obtain a homogeneous mashed potato, without lumps.
3. You can also use some utensil to crush the potato. If you want a softer puree, you can add a couple of tablespoons of butter, mixing them very well with the puree, so it will be creamier. We reserve.

Preparation of the English meatloaf

1. Peel the garlic and chop it finely. We wash the carrots and cut them into thin slices. Peel the onions and chop them into a small julienne.
2. In a large frying pan pour olive oil and over medium heat we fry the minced garlic. Add the carrot and onion, salt to taste, mix and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
3. Season the minced meat with salt and pepper and add it to the pan. With the help of a wooden spoon, mix with the vegetables and crumble some larger piece.
4. When the meat is taking color we add a quarter of a glass of wine (white or red, to taste). Another 10 minutes and the wine will be reduced.
5. It is now the turn of the fried tomato , we pour it and stir well. I recommend using one that is homemade, or failing that of good quality.
6. We lower to low heat and let cook approximately another 15 minutes, so that it reduces and thickens the sauce.
7. We choose a baking dish that has some height (5-6 cm. At least). We are going to make a multi-layer montage with the mash and minced meat.

Baking and final presentation of the meatloaf

1. We preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 200º C.
2. We pour a little homemade tomato sauce from the pan and spread it over the base of the dish. In this way we will avoid sticking the first layer of mash.
3. Add half the mashed potato and spread evenly across the entire surface of the platter. Now we add the minced meat filling and spread over the surface. Next we make the top layer with the remaining mashed potato.
4. Grate our favorite cheese as finely as possible.
5. Sprinkle the potato surface with the grated cheese. You can substitute the cheese that you like the most, but that is a little cured, with similar characteristics to Parmesan, important that it can be grated and gratinated.
6. We place the source in the central tray of the oven and cook 10 minutes at 200º C, with the “up and down” heat function.
7. After time, we activate the grill function so that the cheese is finally gratinated for 5 more minutes. The total time in the oven will be 15 minutes.
8. When removing it from the oven we have to let it rest for a few minutes, so that the meatloaf sits and it is easier to serve the portions. If it is too hot, it will fall apart when you try to cut it and serve it.

A simple, very tasty and consistent recipe. I hope you like it and include it in your menus at home, it is a true “sure value” to succeed with the family or guests.

Tips and recommendations for a yummy meatloaf

• The main ingredients are potatoes and meat , so choose a good quality product. Then you will be rewarded in the final result. I have used Galician potatoes (variety Kennebec).
• My advice for meat is Galician beef from the brisket. Ask the butcher for a piece and then he will pass it to you through the mincer.