VEGETARIAN PIE AND MASH RECIPES

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.
2. Peel the potatoes, chop into even-sized chunks and cook in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender.
3. Meanwhile, brown the sausages in a large non-stick casserole pan on a medium heat, tossing regularly (if using veggie sausages, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil), while you trim the leeks, halve lengthways, wash and slice 1cm thick.
4. Peel, core and chop the apples into 1cm chunks. Once golden, remove the sausages to a plate, put the leek and apple into the pan and strip in most of the thyme. Add a splash of water, season with sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Drain the potatoes, mash with half the flour, then season to perfection. Lightly rub a 20cm x 28cm baking dish with oil. Once the mash is cool enough to handle, use your fingertips to spread two thirds of it evenly across the base and sides of the dish.
6. Stir the remaining flour into the leeks, then gradually stir in the milk, then the mustard. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until thick and creamy.
7. Slice the sausages 1cm thick and stir most of them into the pan, along with any juices, then evenly spoon into the mash-lined dish.
8. Press the remaining mash on to a sheet of greaseproof paper until just bigger than your dish, then flip over the top of the dish, peel off the paper, trim any excess and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
9. Poke the reserved sausage slices into the top, then gently brush with 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake at the bottom of the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden, adding the remaining thyme leaves for the last 5 minutes.

1. In a blender, cover the porcini with 600ml of boiling water.
2. Trim, wash and slice the leeks 2cm thick, then scrub the carrots, swede and celeriac and chop to roughly the same size.
3. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, strip in the rosemary, fry for 1 minute to crisp up, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
4. Add the cumin seeds and prepped veg to the flavoured oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
5. Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes, cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, and season to taste.
6. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
7. Quarter the onion, add to the porcini in the blender along with the Marmite and tomato purée and whiz until smooth.
8. Pour into the veg pan and cook for 20 minutes, or until dark and caramelised, stirring regularly and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
9. Tip the lentils (juices and all) into the veg pan, bring to the boil, then season to taste.
10. Spoon over the mash, place on a tray, bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges, then sprinkle over the crispy rosemary. Serve with simple steamed seasonal greens – it’s a winner!

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, non-stick saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 8–10 minutes over a medium–high heat or until starting to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan, tip in the carrots and swede, and fry for 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and stock. Season and simmer, covered, for 35–40 minutes over a low heat, until the carrots and swede are tender and the lentils have softened.

Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, and let it wilt. Check the sauce’s consistency (see below, Moist, juicy filling). Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200oC (fan 180oC/400oF/Gas 6).

Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add salt, and simmer for 15–20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Put the butter and milk in the pan and warm through over a low heat. Remove from the heat, return the potatoes to the pan, and mash with the milk and butter, then whisk until smooth (see below, Smooth, creamy mash). Season, then stir in the cheese.

Spread the mash over the filling (see below, Decorative topping). Bake for 30–40 minutes until golden and bubbling.

KEYS TO PERFECTION

Moist, juicy filling

The filling should be moist with plenty of sauce, but not sloppy. Add 2–3 tablespoons of water if it’s too dry. Leave the filling to cool before adding the topping, as it will support the mash better.

Smooth, creamy mash

The potatoes are ready for mashing when a knife goes in easily. If undercooked, the mash will be lumpy; if overcooked, it will be sloppy. Mash the potatoes with hot milk and butter off the heat, then whisk with a balloon whisk.

Decorative topping

Spoon the cheesy, seasoned mash over the cooled vegetable and lentil layer. Spread it evenly over the surface, making patterns like furrows with a round-bladed knife to create an attractive, textured effect.

Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect is available in paperback with an exclusive tote bag from 3 November. DK, £20.00.