Annie Bell's Spicy Celeriac Cottage Pie

A celeriac topping gives this traditional comfort-food dish a special-occasion feel.

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   1. Have ready a shallow baking dish (such as a 20cm x 30cm Le Creuset roasting dish or similar).
   2. For the filling, cut the carrot, celery and onion into pieces then whiz in a food processor until finely chopped. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a medium-size pan over a medium heat, add the chopped vegetables and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garam masala, then add the minced beef, turn the heat up high and continue to fry until it changes colour, stirring frequently. Stir in the tomato purée, the stock and some seasoning, bring to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes. You can spoon off any excess fat on the surface.
   3. At the same time, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add a slug of white wine or vinegar. Add the celeriac and simmer for 20-30 minutes until tender, then drain into a colander and leave for a few minutes for the surface moisture to evaporate.
   4. Purée the celeriac with the butter and some salt and pepper in a liquidiser, adding a drop of milk to kick-start the process, working in batches as necessary, and transferring to a bowl as you go. Stir in the egg yolks to give a loose purée.
   5. Spoon the beef mixture into the baking dish and spoon the celeriac evenly on top. The pie can be prepared to this point in advance, in which case leave to cool, then cover and chill.
   6. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 61&#8260,2. Dice the bread, toss with the remaining oil and scatter over. Bake the pie in the oven for 35-40 minutes.