Gino's cottage pie... with an Italian twist!

Gino's convinced that he's made a traditional British cottage pie even better with his Italian twist - what do you think?

His tip would be to use tinned chopped tomatoes, as their juice is thicker than fresh ones, and plenty of fresh basil leaves – never use dried basil in this dish.

You can bake this in a two-litre pie dish or in smaller individual dishes.

Serves 6

Ingredients

5 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped3 carrots, chopped70g mushrooms, halved500g minced beef1 glass dry red wine500g tinned chopped tomatoes6 fresh basil leaves700g sweet potatoes, chopped30g salted butter50ml full-fat milk150g freshly grated parmesan cheeseSalt and pepper

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion, carrots and mushrooms for 10 minutes until softened. Add the minced beef, season with salt and pepper and stir frequently with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes, separating any clumps of meat.

• Add in the wine and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the alcohol has evaporated. Add the tomatoes and basil, taste for seasoning and cook, uncovered, over a medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200c/400f/gas mark 6. Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until soft. Drain and mash well, adding in the butter, milk and 100g parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon over a low heat for 2 minutes to give creamy texture.

• Pour the meat sauce intro your pie dish(es) and carefully spread over the mashed potato, ensuring that the meat is completely covered. Use a fork to create small peaks and then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the topping is golden. Serve immediately and enjoy with friends.