Lentil Cottage Pie

Topping

½ kg potato - peeled and cubed
½ kg Sweet potato – peeled and cubed
2tbsp butter (optional)

Filling

1 cup brown lentils – (preferably soaked over night in cold water)
2 large carrots – diced finely
3 stalks celery – diced finely
3 Baby marrows – diced finely
1 onion - diced finely
1 garlic clove – minced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Hoogland Vegelable Salt – to taste

• Cook the the lentils in water (do not use salt, this will prevent the lentils from softening), rinse until the water runs clear and set aside.
• Cook the potato and sweet potato until soft, drain, reserving some of the water and set aside.
• In a heavy based pan sweat the carrots, celery and onion for 5 minutes with the olive oil, add the garlic, thyme, bay leaf and baby marrows and cook for another 10 minutes, season to taste.
• Combine the vegetables with the lentils, and place in an oven proof dish.
• Mash the potatoes with butter (optional) adding a bit of the reserved water if needed and season to taste (Do not make the mixture too wet as it absorbs liquid from the filling)
• Spoon the potatoes over the filling, covering it evenly.
• Using a fork, drag lines along the top of the potato to make ridges so that it crisps in the oven
• Bake for 30 minutes, at 180°C, or until the topping browns slightly