Cheesy Lentil BakeFeatured

Cheesy Lentil Bake

Sweet vegetables such as carrots, sweetcorn, and roasted tomatoes, complement the lovely earthy taste of the lentils in this dish. It could also be served as an accompaniment to a robust piece of fish.

Jaine Chisholm Caunt, Director General of the Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA)

Category: 
Pulse/Diet: 

Ingredients

For 4 Person(s)

Ingredients

  • 200 ml fresh spinach leaves (preferably young/baby spinach)
  • 200 ml red lentils
  • 400 ml cottage cheese
  • 30 ml fresh parmesan, grated
  • 100 ml mature cheddar cheese
  • 6 large potatoes (depending on size/shape of your baking dish)
  • 45 ml milk
  • 2 hard (not crumbly) veggie stock cubes, eg Knorr
  • 236 ml water
  • 1 salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. Wash, de-stalk and shred the spinach finely and drain thoroughly in a salad spinner

2. Place the lentils in a saucepan, and pour on just enough water to cover them. Add the bay leaf and 2 stock cubes

3. Bring the lentils to the boil, and turn down to simmer. Stir continuously and gradually add more water as the lentils cook. Add salt and pepper to taste, and continue to stir and add water until the lentils are cooked and form a thick savoury paste.

4. Remove the lentil paste from the heat and add all the spinach. It will wilt in the heat of the lentils.

5. Drain any excess fluid from the cottage cheese and add to the saucepan. Return the pan to a low heat and stir thoroughly. Add the grated parmesan cheese to mixture and season to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside

6. Wash the potatoes and remove any blemishes with a sharp knife. Peel and slice the potatoes into slices approx ½ cm thick. Place the potato slices in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil.

7. Simmer the potato slices for 5 minutes and then drain- they should be partially cooked. Rinse them in cold water to make them a safe temperature to handle and to prevent further cooking.

8. Grease a lasagne or deep pottery dish and add the spinach, lentil and cheese mixture. Layer the potatoes over the top overlapping them in concentric circles.

9. Brush the potato slices with milk and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the grated cheddar cheese and bake in the oven at 180° for 30-40 minutes. The top should be well browned and the mixture bubbling.

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