Indulge in this perfect dish for a chilly day! Prepare a vegetarian version of the classic British shepherd’s pie and warm yourself with a hearty portion of lentils under a blanket of mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- Potatoes – 1.5 kg
- Butter – 4 tablespoons
- Salt – 0.5 teaspoon
Filling
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Onion – 1 piece
- Garlic cloves – 2 pieces
- Red chili pepper – 0.5 piece
- Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
- Salt – 1 pinch
- Black pepper – 2 pinches
- Smoked paprika – 0.5 teaspoon
- Green lentils – 300 g
- Vegetable broth – 800 ml
- Fresh thyme – 2 teaspoons
- Carrots and peas, frozen – 300 g
Preparation
Step 1: Prepare the Mashed Potatoes Drain the hot potatoes and return them to the empty pot. Heat them for a moment, stirring occasionally, to remove excess water. Then add butter and mash the potatoes vigorously into a smooth puree. Season to taste with salt, cover, and set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Ingredients Finely chop the onion, garlic, and chili pepper. Heat olive oil in a deep pan and sauté the onion until golden. Towards the end of cooking, add garlic and chili pepper to the pan and cook until fragrant. Then add tomato paste, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly.
Step 3: Cook the Lentils Add lentils to the sautéed ingredients and pour in the vegetable broth. Season with thyme, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover the pan and simmer the lentils for about 30-40 minutes until they become tender.
Step 4: Add Frozen Vegetables Remove the lid from the pan and simmer for a while longer until most of the liquid evaporates. Then add frozen vegetables to the pan, stir, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Bake the Pie When the filling reaches the desired consistency, remove it from the heat and carefully cover it with the mashed potatoes prepared earlier. Sprinkle the dish with salt and fresh thyme or rosemary, then bake for about 10-15 minutes until the mashed potatoes are golden brown.
Step 6: Serve the Pie Let the pie cool for a moment after removing it from the oven, but serve it while still warm.
