Mixed Vegetable Pie

You can use any vegetables – fresh, frozen or canned, even leftovers – to make this tasty alternative to shepherd’s pie.

Ingredients

400g can cannellini beans OR 400g can green lentils
1 large onion OR 240g frozen chopped onions
250ml boiling water
½ x reduced-salt vegetable stock cube
1 x 15ml spoon sunflower oil
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 5ml spoon dried mixed herbs
2 x 15ml spoons tomato puree
2 x 5ml spoons balsamic vinegar
500g frozen mixed vegetables
1 egg OR 50g reduced-fat mature Cheddar cheese
800g mashed potato (made using our Mashed Potato recipe)

Equipment

Can opener
Colander
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Kettle
Measuring jug
Wooden spoon
Measuring spoons
Medium-sized pan OR deep frying pan
Medium ovenproof serving dish
Small bowl
Fork
Grater
Oven gloves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan or gas mark 5.
2. Drain the cannellini beans or lentils in the colander and then rinse under the tap.
3. Peel and finely chop the fresh onion.
4. Measure 250ml of boiling water into the measuring jug, crumble in the stock cube and stir to dissolve.
5. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the (fresh or frozen) onion for a few minutes until it starts to go soft.
6. Add the tomatoes, stock, herbs, tomato puree and balsamic vinegar. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
7. Stir in the mixed vegetables, return to the boil and cook for 3 minutes.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the cannellini beans or lentils.
9. Pour the mixture into an ovenproof dish and allow to cool for a few minutes.
10. If using egg, break it into a small bowl and beat with a fork; if using reduced-fat cheese, grate it.
11. Top the vegetable mixture with mashed potato and spread the beaten egg or grated cheese over the top of the potato for a nice golden crunch. Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until hot throughout.

Skills used include:
Measuring, peeling, chopping, grating, beating, mixing/combining, mashing, boiling/simmering and frying.

Top Tips

• Allowing the vegetable mixture to cool for a few minutes before adding the mash will prevent the mash from sinking into the sauce.
• Dab spoonfuls of the mash all over the pie and then carefully spread the potato over the filling with a fork.
• The pie will take 10 minutes longer to cook if the mashed potatoes are cold when spread onto the pie.

Something to try next time

• Use any vegetables that you have available. If using fresh vegetables, chop them into small chunks and add them at step 6. You can also add leftover cooked vegetables.
• For a meat version you could add any leftover cooked meat. Chop the meat into bite-sized chunks and add in at step 6.
• Use other root vegetable mash such as parsnip, carrot, sweet potato, swede or a mixture for the topping.

Prepare now, eat later

• Store in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. If frozen, defrost thoroughly before reheating in the oven for 40–45 minutes at 190°C/170°C fan or gas mark 5 until bubbling, and crisp and golden on top.