I had been calling this dish a variation on Shepherd's Pie but I am learning now that it is more accurately a variation on Cottage Pie. The primary variation is the cheese topping however the use of ground turkey would be uncommon even if technically includable in the typical definition of Cottage Pie. Regardless of what it is called, this dish was tasty and satisfying. Preparation involved three primary steps: filling, mashed potatoes, and baking.
Filling:
Olive Oil
1/4 Med White Onion
1/2 Stalk of Celery
1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper (color is irrelevant)
2 Med. Whole Carrots, Peeled
1 lb. Ground Turkey (or any other ground meat)
1 Pint Canned Whole Tomatoes
3/4 Cup of English Peas
Granulated Beef Bouillon
Garlic Powder
Pepper
Salt
Thyme
Paprika
Finely dice onion, celery, and bell pepper. Medium dice 2 whole carrots. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet and saute diced vegetables for a few minutes. Add the ground turkey and stir continuously until it has browned loosely. Mix in whole tomatoes (and its juice), peas, and spice to taste. Beef bouillon is very salty (need a tablespoon or so) so take that into account when adding table salt. Cook until filling is moist but no longer soupy and carrots are sufficiently softened (but not mushy; to taste).
Mashed Potatoes:
4 medium white potatoes
Heavy Cream
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Boil potatoes until soft. Add heavy cream (about a 1/4 cup; to taste), salt pepper and onion powder. Mix well.
Bake:
Pour filling in rectangular baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes. Add a light layer of shredded cheddar cheese and a little Parmesan. If baked immediately (filling and potatoes still warm), put in oven on broil until cheese is melted and suitably browned.
