Vegan Cottage Pie

Cottage pie was a staple in our house when growing up, economical, easy to make. It replaced Shepherds Pie which traditionally was made with leftover roast lamb. I came from a largish family with boys, that had less leftover roast as they grew. I also made cottage pie as a family dish but over the years reduced the meat, replacing it with lentils. Now I only make this vegan version, my family love this and they are not vegan or vegetarian. I like to make my own stock by simmering dried sitake mushrooms in water for an hour or so. The dried nutritional yeast adds a slight cheesy flavour to the mash as well as adding more B vitamins to the dish. Use the recipe as a guide only, follow the pictures and just get a feel for the process.

Make a big family sized version

Individual

Or substitute puff pastry for the potato. Check that the pastry is animal product free/ suitable for vegan diets.

Serve a generous spoonful making sure to get the topping and lentil mixture

Some green veg for extra health.

How To Make

Soften onion and garlic in a little oil, add diced vegetables and cook for a few minutes.

Add lentils, Gravox or flour and mix well. Add mushroom stock and tomato paste if using, mix well. Bring mixture to the boil, stirring constantly. 

Simmer until the mixture is thick. Check the flavour and season to taste with pepper; and salt if necessary. 

Add Chia seeds, parsley if you have some, mix well.

Allow the mixture to stand for thirty minutes or refrigerate until ready to finish the pie.

Place lentil mixture in an oiled oven proof dish.

Spread mashed potato over the lentil mixture. Run a fork over the potato to create a textured surface.

Place in a hot oven (190 deg C) until potato is browned and crisp on top and pie is hot. 

Vegan Cottage Pie

2-3 cups cooked lentils or 2 tins lentils 1 onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 cups small diced vegetables (carrot, celery, parsnip) 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons Gravox** or flour 1 cup mushroom stock* 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)

2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds Freshly ground pepper Chopped parsley Mash Topping 1 large sweet potato  3 large potatoes 3 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast, optional 1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper

* make stock with dried shitake mushrooms or use vegetable stock

**Gravox Supreme does not contain animal products

Method

Soften onion and garlic in a little oil, add diced vegetables and cook for a few minutes.

Add lentils, Gravox or flour and mix well. Add mushroom stock and tomato paste if using, mix well. Bring mixture to the boil, stirring constantly. Simmer until the mixture is thick. Check the flavour and season to taste with pepper; and salt if necessary. 

Add Chia seeds and parsley and allow the mixture to stand for thirty minutes or refrigerate until ready to finish the pie.

Place lentil mixture in an oiled oven proof dish.

Peel and diced sweet potato and potato, Place in saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes are just tender. Drain.

Return potatoes to the pot and mash, add nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and a little oil and mix well.

Spread mashed potato over the lentil mixture. Run a fork over the potato to create a textured surface.

Place in a hot oven (190 deg C) until potato is browned and crisp on top and pie is hot.