VEGETARIAN COTTAGE PIE

PREP TIME: 20 MINS COOK TIME: 1 HOUR SERVES 4 (AS A MAIN)

Bursting with crunch and flavour, this is comfort food at its very finest.

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, halved lengthways, finely

sliced

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped 200g mushrooms, sliced 2 zucchini, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped

400g can no-added-salt chopped

tomatoes

425g can no-added-salt brown

lentils, rinsed and drained

140g tub no-added-salt

tomato paste

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

250ml (1 cup) salt-reduced vegetable stock or gluten-free stock

Topping

1kg Spud Lite potatoes, peeled,

cut into large pieces

1 Tbsp light margarine

125ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk

60g (1/2 cup) grated low-fat cheese 20g (1/3 cup) breadcrumbs, made from sourdough bread or gluten-free bread

Zest of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp finely chopped

rosemary leaves 1 Heat oil in a large, deep frying pan or saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, carrot, celery, mushroom, zucchini and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for

6-7 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.

2 Add the tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and stock to the pan. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes or until the mixture reduces and thickens.

3 Meanwhile, to make the topping, cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 12-15 minutes or until tender. Drain well and return to the pan. Add the margarine and mash until almost smooth. Add the buttermilk and beat until smooth. Combine the cheese, breadcrumbs, lemon zest and rosemary in a small bowl.

4 Preheat oven to 190°C (fan-forced). Place a 2.5L (10 cup) ovenproof dish on a baking tray and spoon the vegetable mixture into the dish. Spoon the mashed potato over and spread out to cover the surface. Use a fork to rough up the surface. Sprinkle over the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a golden brown colour.

COOK’S TIP

This pie can be made and frozen to enjoy at a later date! Simply cover with a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight. Cover with foil and place on a baking tray. Bake in an oven preheated to 160°C (fanforced) for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

The foodie equivalent of a warm

blanket just perfect

for those chilly days