SHEPHERDLESS PIE
SERVES 4 PREP + COOK 1 HOUR
1 cup French-style green lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
200g Swiss brown mushrooms, halved
400g grape tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock
60g baby spinach
POLENTA TOPPING
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup polenta (cornmeal)
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes (see tip)
1 Cook lentils in boiling water 12 mins until just tender. Drain.
2 Heat oil in a large deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and seeds, stirring, 5 mins until onion is soft. Add carrot, mushrooms and tomatoes and cook, covered, 10 mins until carrot softens. Stir in paste. Cook 1 min. Pour in stock and bring to boil. Cook, uncovered, 3 mins until thickened slightly. Stir in lentils and spinach. Season. Cover.
3 POLENTA TOPPING Bring stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Gradually add combined polenta and thyme, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, 10 mins until polenta thickens. Stir in oil and yeast. Season to taste.
4 Preheat grill on high. Place lentil mixture in a 2-litre ovenproof dish and spread polenta over. Grill pie 15 mins or until golden and crisp.
5 Season. Top with extra thyme.