French Style Cottage Pie (Hachis Parmentier)
Known as Hachis Parmentier, the French Style Cottage Pie embodies French comfort food at its best. It features a layer of ground beef that’s seasoned with nutmeg and fresh herbs, topped with creamy mashed potatoes that are loaded with butter, and baked until golden and bubbly. The dish is hearty, comforting, and perfect for colder fall and winter weather. What is a French Style Cottage Pie, known as Hachis Parmentier? A Hachis Parmentier is a very popular French dish made with a layer of buttery mashed potatoes covering a meat…
- Prep time
- 20 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr 10 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- For the filling:
- 1.75lbs (800g) lean ground beef
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (15ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp (14g) butter, unsalted
- 2 small onions, peeled and diced (or large shallots) 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (200ml) beef stock (ideally, low sodium)
- 1/3 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, stemmed and chopped
- 4 tbsp (30g) breadcrumbs
- For the mashed potatoes:
- 2,2 lbs (1 kg) potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks
- 1 tablespoon salt (for the boiling water)
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (200ml) milk (whole or 2% mf), at room temperature
- 100g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut in large chunks
Instructions
- 1
Make the fillingStep 1 - About ½ hour before cooking, take the meat out of the fridge and sprinkle it with ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit on the counter to allow to warm up slightly.
- 2
Step 2 -In a large skillet or frying pan, add the oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the garlic is fragrant, add the diced onions and carrots. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is fragrant.
- 3
Step 3 -Turn the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef, another 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper and nutmeg. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned and most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the beef stock, and cook again for about 7-8 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated.
- 4
Step 4 -Turn off the heat. Add the egg yolk and stir to combine. Add the freshly chopped parsley and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper to taste). Set aside to cool.
- 5
Make the mashed potatoes
- 6
Step 1 - Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with water by at least 2 inches (5 cm). Add generous amount of salt (1 tablespoon worth works for me), cover with a lid, turn on the heat to bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until you can poke a pointy knife through a potato chunk.
- 7
Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle.
- 8
Step 2 - Drain potatoes immediately and let steam evaporate for about 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes into a large mixing bowl. Add the room temp milk and mash using a masher until just mashed enough (do not over-mash!). You can go for a chunky or creamy texture – your choice! Fold in the butter. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (salt, pepper).
- 9
Step 3 - Lay the cooled beef filling at the bottom of a 11.5” x 8.5” (29cm x 22cm) baking dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes over the meat, and spread gently to cover entire dish. Using a fork, crisscross the entire top and sprinkle with an even layer of breadcrumbs.
- 10
Bake for about 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving, to allow the meat filling to thicken.