Pesto Cottage Pie
Ease into the weekend with a comforting classic with a twist. Part of our hearty weekend series, our pesto cottage pie will take you back to your mums home cooking but dare we say it, even better. Packed with puy lentils simmered in rich passata with a touch of soy sauce and tomato ketchup - this dish has a deep umami flavour that is the perfect plant-based base. Topped with pesto packed mashed potatoes and grilled until nice and golden - the Crisper the better.
Serves
Ingredients
For the Filling
<item-todo-done>2 onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 cloves of garlic<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp vegetable oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>700g Passata<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 250g pouches pre-cooked puy lentils<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 vegetable stock cube<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp tomato ketchup<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp soy sauce<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt and pepper<item-todo-done>
For the Basil Pesto
<item-todo-done>70g pine nuts<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>60g basil leaves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 cloves of garlic<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp Nooch<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ lemon<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>150ml light olive oil<item-todo-done>
For the Mashed Potato
<item-todo-done>1kg potatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> salt<item-todo-done>
To Serve
<item-todo-done> handful of pine nuts<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Boil the kettle | Frying pan with high sides | Large saucepan | Baking dish | Microplane or grate
Make the filling
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook for 7-8 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the passata, lentils, stock cube and 200ml boiling water. Stir well and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes. Add the tomato ketchup and soy sauce. Taste and add more if you’d like
Meanwhile make the pesto
- Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan over a medium heat until golden
- Put the basil leaves in a food processor along with the toasted pine nuts and blitz to a paste. Peel the garlic cloves and grate them into the food processor, add the nooch and juice from a lemon and pulse again. Remove the blade from the processor and stir in enough of the oil to bind. Taste and season with salt
Prepare the mash
- Peel and chop the potatoes into 3cm chunks. Add them to a pan of boiling water and simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until tender
- Drain the potatoes and tip them back into the pan. Mash with the pesto until smooth. Taste and season with salt if necessary
Assemble the pie
- Preheat the grill
- Spoon the filling into a baking dish and spread the pesto mash on top. Run a fork over the top of the pie to create a textured pattern
- Place the pie under the grill for 6-8 minutes, or until the mash has browned in place
Time to serve
- Serve in the center of the table and dig in!