The origins of this dish are at best questionable , most probably English. It is a dish created by folks of limited income and means. The word ' Cottage' refers to the poor house and ' Pie' is generally a dish that uses up left over ingredients.
' So even though this dish is canonically a poor house meal , today cottage pie and for that matter Shepherds pie (Which is made with minced Lamb) is a delicious meal. Created for the poor but now eaten by the masses. This traditional cottage pie recipeis an Iconic British meal. '