This Black Lentil & Beetroot Pie is a fantastic vegetarian meal option that can be made in advance. It is full of nutritious ingredients and also supremely delicious.
1 kg/ 2 lb 3 ozPotatoes (suitable for mashing) See notes
2tablespoonGreek yoghurt
Butter
Salt & Pepper
30g/ 1 ozFeta
2tablespoonFresh breadcrumbs (I used sourdough)
Instructions
Finely dice the onion and celery and put in a medium saucepan with a little olive oil. Cook over a medium heat for around 5 minutes until the vegetables soften
Mince the garlic, add to the pan and cook for a further minute
Peel and dice the beetroot and add to the pan along with the stock and a good grind of black pepper. Don't be tempted to add salt yet - the feta and capers are salty
Cover with a lid and let cook for 10-15 minutes until the beetroot is fork tender
Add the lentils and continue to cook on a high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, then take off the heat
Rinse the capers in fresh water and mince roughly. Add to the pan along with the oregano
Crumble the feta into the pan and give everything a good stir. Taste and add more salt/ pepper as desired
Spoon into 1 large pie dish or 4 individual dishes
For the Potato topping (see notes)
Preheat oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM 4
Peel & chop the potatoes and cook in boiling water until tender, then mash until smooth
Stir through the Greek yoghurt and some butter to create a creamy mash (exactly how much butter will depend on the potatoes and your preferences
Season to taste and use to top the pie/ pies. I piped mine for a neat look, but it's fine to use a fork to spread it out.
Scatter some breadcrumbs and a little crumbled feta over the pies and bake for 40 minutes
Notes
Don't forget, you can bake your potatoes, slit them open, scoop out the flesh and proceed to mash them instead of boiling peeled potatoes in a pan.This recipe can be made in advance. Once the pies are assembled, let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. They will need 40-45 minutes from chilled.These pies can also be frozen. Defrost at room temperature before cooking.