Little Gardener's Pie

Created for Little Forest Folk Life by Two Teaspoons

Serves 4, generously

•      Extra virgin olive oil - enough to cover the base of the pan

•      1 onion, finely chopped

•      2 or 3 cloves garlic - finely chopped or crushed

•      2 sticks celery, finely chopped

•      Small bunch chard, leaves finely shredded, stalks chopped and kept aside to cook with onions

•      Small bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, stalks chopped and kept aside to cook with onions

•      1 tablespoon dried mixed herbs

•      2 carrots, grated

•      1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly diced

•      150g green beans, chopped into bite-sized pieces

•      150g red split lentils

•      500g new potatoes, sliced

•      500g passata

•      1 heaped tablespoon tomato puree

•      Handful of grated cheese, Cheddar works well

•      Pinch of sea salt

•      Few grinds of black pepper

Leave the lid on at each stage when you are cooking this dish, the steam helps the vegetables cook nicely and more efficiently.

1. Cover a heavy-bottomed pan with olive oil, put on a gentle heat and add the onions, garlic, celery, chard stalks and parsley stalks followed by the herbs, salt and pepper. Stir and let cook until soft but not browned. This takes about 10 minutes. If the onions start to stick, turn down the heat and add a splash of water.

2. Add the carrots and a small cup of water and bring to a simmer until the vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally. This takes about 15 minutes.

3. Put the sweet potato, green beans, chard leaves and lentils into the pan and mix everything together. Add cold water to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and cook until the lentils and vegetables are soft, this will take about 20mins. Stir occasionally.

4. While the vegetables are simmering bring a pan of salted water to the boil and add the sliced new potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are tender then drain. Gently stir a good slosh of olive oil, a sprinkle of dried mixed herbs and a pinch of salt into the potatoes then cover and set aside.

5. Stir the passata and tomato puree into the vegetable pan. Leave to simmer with the lid off and once the sauce feels satisfyingly rich, take off the heat and stir in the flat leaf parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

6. Put the sauce into an oven-proof dish and cover with the herby potatoes. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the top and pop under the grill for a few minutes until golden and bubbly.