Lentil Cottage Pie ( & Pasta Bake)

For the lentil mixture

Ingredients

Olive oil for frying

2 onions finely chopped 

2 celery stalks finely chopped 

3 medium carrots chopped 

4 garlic cloves finely chopped 

5 white mushrooms, chopped

500g green lentils rinsed 

1/4 cup white wine 

l litre vegetable stock 

1/4 cup tomato puree (passatta)

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

2 tbsp thyme 

1 can of sweet corn, drained

handful of frozen peas 

2 tbsp flour 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Method 

In a large pan heat the oil and the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and  a low/medium heat for about 3 minutes until softened stirring often. Add the mushrooms and continue to fry for another minute. Add the wine and the lentils and cook for 2 minutes stirring often. Add half of the stock, cover, and simmer for 6 minutes. Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, corn, peas and the rest of the stock, stir, cover and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the flour over the top and stir until no longer visible. Cook for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Option 1 - Cottage pie

Ingredients

Depending on how big a pie you wish to make, double these ingredients if needed.

5 potatoes peeled and halved

Salt to taste

2 tbsp milk 

1 tbsp butter

Grated cheddar cheese to loosely cover the potatoes.

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked. Drain and return to the pan. Add the milk and butter and mash until smooth and creamy. 

Put as much of the lentil mixture as you'd like into a pie tray. Top with the mashed potato, scatter the cheese over the potato and bake in the oven at 200C for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and serve.

Option 2 - Pasta bake

Ingredients

1 pack pasta - penne, shells, twists - whatever you like, cooked as per pack instructions and drained.

Grated cheddar cheese to loosely cover the pasta.

Method

Combine the cooked pasta and as much of the lentil mixture as you'd like in a pie tray. Scatter the cheese over the potato and bake in the oven at 200C for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and serve.

NOTE: I usually have left over lentil mixture which I freeze to use to create quick pasta bake dinners when in a rush.