Mushroom Spinach Pie

It was tricky to take an enticing photo of a spinach lentil pie -  but   -  

I urge you to try this ‘almost vegetarian’ meal – even Wilbur said ‘I was surprised I really liked it!’ - high praise indeed -  as it only has a couple of bacon rashers added – otherwise veg and lentils in all their glory!

Inspiration comes from a Nigel Slater recipe (love his recipes) but as I haven’t foraged for mushrooms in an English forest I needed to include a few extra bits and pieces to amp up the flavour of my shop bought mushies.

Preparation and stove top cooking:  20 - 30 minutes

Baking:  15 – 20 minutes

Serves:  4 – 5   (makes great leftovers!)

Ingredients

500 gram spinach – remove tough stalk and chop roughly or use baby spinach leaves

2 onions – chopped

2 rashers of bacon – rind and excess fat removed – then dice the bacon meat.

2 carrots – diced

2 sticks of celery – diced

2 cloves garlic – crushed

3 bay leaves

½ - 1 red chilli  - finely shredded.  Leave out or increase depending on your preference

500 gram mushrooms – sliced.  Try to use mixture of some Swiss Brown and some regular if possible.

Option: 2 dried porcini mushrooms – soak in a little warm water –then chop - use the soaking water too.

4 – 6 sprigs of thyme – strip leaves from stems

400 gram tin of brown lentils – rinsed well and drained

Splash of Worcestershire sauce

200 ml salt reduced vegetable stock

2 teaspoons Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Topping – Mashed potatoes  or    Mashed Sweet Potato

1 kg large potatoes cooked and mashed with a splash of warm milk and a knob of butter

Option: you could use sweet potato and a couple of carrots mashed together instead

Option:  10 – 20 gram finely grated Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle on top before baking.

Method

Preheat oven to 200 oC.  Prepare a deep baking dish approx. 24 x 18 cm

Make your mash topping in a separate pan whilst the spinach/mushrooms are cooking

On the stove top:  In a large wide pan – wilt spinach, drain well to remove excess water.  Set aside.

Return pan to heat and add the onions and bacon.  Should not need any extra fat but if necessary add a small splash of Olive Oil. Cook until golden and tender.

Stir through the carrot, celery, chilli, garlic and bay leaves. 

Add mushrooms – they will shrink down (and chopped porcini if using) Stir gently until a meaty brown.

Pour in the stock, lentils, Worcestershire Sauce and thyme leaves.

Simmer gently for 10 minutes until liquid reduces and thickens.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Mix through the drained spinach leaves and combine.  Turn off stove.  Remove bay leaves.

Pour into the prepared baking dish and dollop with the mash topping. 

Sprinkle over the grated parmesan if using.

Bake for approx. 15 minutes or until topping is crusty golden.

                              Enjoy!  Colleen