Lentil, Spinach & Mushroom Pie

Serves 4

This recipe is simple but so comforting. It makes a proper winter dinner with minimal effort. A good tip here is to make sure the mushrooms are really golden and caramelised before adding the other ingredients as they hold the key to a really tasty pie.

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing

• 3 shallots, finely chopped

• 500g (17.6 oz) mushrooms (a mixture of chestnut, shiitake, girolle or portobello), halved or quartered

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• 4 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked, plus extra to sprinkle

• 1 x 250g (8.8 oz) pouch of Merchant Gourmet Simply Cooked Beluga Lentils

• 1 tbsp plain flour

• 150ml (5 fl oz) vegetable stock

• 100ml (3.3 fl oz) oat cream

• Large handful of parsley, finely chopped

• 500g (17.6 oz) spinach, washed

• Salt and black pepper

• 3 medium potatoes

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots and a pinch of salt and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for 6-8 minutes so they release their liquid.

2 Add in the garlic and thyme and cook for another few minutes before adding the lentils.

3 Add in the flour, stirring for a few minutes to cook out, then slowly pour in the vegetable stock followed by the oat cream and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce the head to a simmer for a few minutes until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, season with salt and black pepper, then remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a medium dish.

4 Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan)/400°F/Gas 6.

5 Peel and slice the potatoes into 1mm thick slices (or as thin as you can go), then arrange them in a neat spiral on top of the mushroom filling so that the whole top is covered.

6 Season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with a little extra thyme. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Recipe from Merchant Gourmet’s new cookbook: The Simple Plant-Based Cookbook.