One recipe made 2 ways, a hearty stick to the ribs pot pie or cottage pie made with a beef filling is a delicious meal that’s easy to make. I like to use pre made puff pastry (Dufour is my favorite but pepperidge farm also makes puff pastry) if making a cottage pie it has the same filling but is topped with mashed potatoes instead of puff pastry. You choose, either way you can’t go wrong, here’s how to make it:

Beef pot pie/cottage pie

small chuck roast (approximately 2 lbs) cut into bite size pieces

1 large carrot chopped

1 onion chopped

good red wine (about 3/4 bottle)

flour to dredge beef

1/2 can tomato paste (2-3 tbs)

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

1 c frozen peas

salt and pepper to taste

1 sheet puff pastry

approximately 2 + c mashed potatoes

Chop onion and carrot into small pieces. Dredge beef lightly in flour. Heat some olive oil in a skillet and saute the beef until browned on all sides. Remove from pan. saute the onion and carrots, season with salt until softened stir in the tomato paste, continue to saute for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add the beef to the vegetables pour enough wine to cover completely. Add the thyme and bay leaf.

Cover and place in the oven on 350 degrees for about 2 – 2.5 hours or until meat is tender. Add the peas, adjust seasoning if needed.

To make pot pie, put the beef stew in a casserole, roll out a sheet of puff pastry, place on top of the stew crimping the edges, cut a slit in the center and prick with fork a few times. Brush with egg wash and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

To make cottage pie put your stew in casserole, spoon mashed potatoes on top and smooth with a fork making ridges. top with a few small pats of butter, bake in 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes until potatoes are browned.

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