Serves 4

Katy says: “This family favourite shepherd’s pie is a real crowd pleaser – and a fail-safe option to make ahead. Rest assured that this recipe will be loved by both children and adults, with its familiar, homely flavours and festive star topping. The pie can be made in advance and then frozen for up to three months. Fully defrost and thoroughly reheat before serving.”

Ingredients

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into half rounds
2 celery sticks, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
A generous glug of red wine (ensure vegan)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 x 400g can of green lentils, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
200ml (generous ¾ cup) hot vegetable stock
700g Maris Piper potatoes (around 4 large potatoes), peeled and chopped
2 rounded tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp vegan double (heavy) cream
Generous splash of vegan Worcestershire sauce (ensure vegan as may contain anchovies)
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then add the carrots and celery. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Pour in the generous glug of red wine, along with the bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. Reduce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the green lentils, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock, then reduce the heat to low-medium. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Cook for 20–25 minutes until fork-soft. Thoroughly drain away all of the water.

Add the butter and cream to the potatoes and mash until smooth and stiff. Bear in mind that this mashed potato will be pushed through a piping nozzle, so ensure it has no lumps. Don’t be tempted to add any more cream, as it needs to be stiff enough to create the star shapes. Allow to cool.

Prepare a piping bag with a large star-shaped nozzle. When the mashed potato is cool enough to handle, spoon it into the piping bag.

Remove the bay leaves and tough stems of rosemary and thyme from the lentil mix. Season to taste with vegan Worcestershire sauce and a pinch of salt and black pepper.

Pour the lentil mix into an ovenproof dish. Allow it to cool for a few moments while you preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4.

Pipe the mashed potato on top of the lentils. Work in lines, with short, sharp squeezes of the bag to get clean star shapes. Once the top is completely filled with mashed potato stars, bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp at the peaks.

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