Creamy Lentil and Dill Pie

It’s amazing how the addition of one or two fresh herbs can totally transform a dish. It’s the dill in this pie that really makes it stand out and gives it such a unique and delicious flavour, perfectly complimenting the white, creamy sauce. The meal itself is relatively straightforward to cook and this recipe makes a lot, so there are always leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day which are delightfully devoured!

It’s one of those dishes that I start craving after I’ve been away from home for a long time…just good old healthy, wholesome, home-cooked family fare that everyone loves. It’s comfort food at its best!

To start, cook the lentils:

Wash 1kg of dried red lentils and put them in a large pan

Add 500g of frozen beans/peas (I use a mix of broad beans, edamame, soya beans and peas)

Add boiling water to twice the level of the food

Boil until the lentils are soft but still have shape and texture and aren’t mushy (around 10 minutes)

Drain off the water, then put the lentils/beans back in the pan

Add 1tsp of sea salt and stir through

Then start on the mash:

Boil 8 peeled, chopped, medium-sized potatoes until they are very tender (around 20 minutes)

While the potatoes are boiling:

Fry 2 large red onions, finely diced, in a little olive oil, until they look ‘glassy’

Add these onions to the lentil mixture and stir through

Next, put the following ingredients in your Vitamix/food processor and pulverise until a totally smooth sauce is formed:

2 cups of raw unsalted cashew nuts

1½ cups of water

The juice of one lemon

1 tsp of sea salt

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp of nutritional yeast

Pour this mixture into the lentil mix and stir through

Then, finely chop the following fresh herbs and add them to the lentil/ white sauce mix:

½ cup of dill

½ cup of parsley

Next, make the mashed potato:

Drain the boiled potatoes

Add 1 cup of almond milk (I make my own almond milk but store bought is fine)

Add 1 tsp of sea salt

Mash with a potato masher until completely smooth and lump free

Then create your pie!

Transfer the lentil/white sauce mix into a large baking tray/lasagna dish

Carefully dot spoonfuls of mashed potato all over the top (if you put too much in one place it might sink!)

Using the back of a spoon, spread the mash out into an even layer

Using a fork, make lines across the mash, from left to right and top to bottom.

Put the tray under the grill until the potato topping is browned

Then divide the pie into square portions and carefully transfer them onto plates using a spatula

Serve with a crisp green salad

Enjoy!