Meatless and Potato Pie, vegan version of a Lancashire favourite!

Credit due to Chris for this one who first made this the way his mum did back in the day, swapping the meat for soya mince. This recipe really is so easy and very cheap to make. You can make a big batch of the filling and freeze half to make a fresh pastry crust on for another day. Served with peas (have to be mushy oop north!) and lots of gravy!

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The filling is cooked on low in the oven and requires no pre frying, just chuck it all in the pot and leave it to do its own thing

I used dried soy mince, you could try using fresh or frozen alternatives, but you might need slightly less stock. I got my dried soy mince from the World Food section in Morrisons, but I have seen it in Holland & Barrett too

This recipe feeds 5/6 Hungry Horaces!

Ingredients

150g dried soy mince

1 litre vegetable stock

1/2 tsp salt

Generous grind of fresh pepper

1 tsp dried mixed herbs

1 leek, washed and chopped

250g carrots, peeled and diced

1 kg potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite sized chunks

1 onion, peeled and chopped

200g self raising flour

1/4 tsp salt

100g vegetable suet

150ml water

Method

Turn the oven on to 170c

Measure the stock into a large jug. Add everything but the vegetables into the stock and mix well. The dried mince will start to absorb some of the liquid and swell

Add the prepared vegetables into a large ovenproof, lidded pot. Pour the contents of the jug into the pot and mix well. Press the vegetable mix down, place the lid on the pot and put in the oven for 1hr and 15 minutes. Halfway through cooking give a stir and pat down again

After the cooking time has elapsed, turn the temperature up to 200c, but leave the pot where it is

In a large bowl mix the pastry ingredients. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly to combine. Roll the dough to a circle just a fraction smaller than your cooking pot

Remove the pot from the oven, remove the lid, and carefully drop the dough onto the top of the potato mix and stab a couple of steam holes in the top of the crust. Replace in the oven, without the lid, for 30 minutes

The top should be golden and crisp, remove, and serve with peas and gravy

Debbie