Everyone has their own version of their favourite pie filled with mince meat and veggies.

This pie comes in many shapes and forms, and the good thing is you can fill it with any vegetable you have left in your fridge. And you can use your leftover potatoes in any way you like — mashed or in slices (you may have bought extra potatoes while making last week’s pumpkin mash?).

I have made many variations on this pie already: filled with cauliflower or broccoli and mince meat, adding bechamel (white sauce), slices of potatoes instead of mash, and adding a crunchy layer of cheese on top. It all works. Feel free to make your own version this week but replace your mince with the vegetarian Vivera mince. If you do follow your own recipe, don’t skip over reading through the recipe below as the preparation of vegetarian mince is slightly different (you add it in later).

The reason for choosing the version below is because it is a quick version of the beloved pie, adapted from a basic recipe as found in the magazine of the Dutch supermarket Jumbo. More Than Broccoli’s version also makes quick and easy use of a meat replacement, and a combination of vegetables that thanks to the use of peas adds additional protein to your meal.

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Cottage pie

20 minutes preparation + 20 minutes cooking (in the oven) — serves 2 to 3

• Vivera mince
• 2 leeks
• 200grams petit pois or peas (frozen)
• 750grams potatoes
• 200ml (soy) milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika powder
• Oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt.
3. Peel the potatoes and cut into equal pieces.
4. Boil the potatoes for 10-12 minutes.

5. Wash the leek and cut into thin rings.
6. Heat some oil in a pan and once hot, add the leek. Fry the leek for 8-10 minutes or until it softens.
7. Add the petit pois or peas to the leek. Fry for another 3 minutes or until the peas are defrosted.
8. Season the Vivera mince with half a tablespoon of pepper.
9. Add the Vivera mince to the vegetable mix and heat through for another 2-3 minutes.
10. Season the vegetable and mince mix with a teaspoon of salt, half a tablespoon of pepper, and one tablespoon of paprika powder (add more or less of each to taste). Heat through for another minute.

11. Drain the potatoes.
12. Heat the (soy) milk in a sauce pan. Add to the potatoes and mash into a puree. Season with salt.
13. Grease an oven dish. Spread out half of the puree on the bottom. Add the vegetable and mince mixture on top, cover with the remaining potato mash.
14. Heat in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Note: depending on the strength of your oven, you may want to move the oven dish higher into the oven for the last 10 minutes so the potatoes get a slightly crispier layer.

Enjoy your meal!

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Leave a comment below if you made this recipe, and let me know what you think. Tips and feedback to improve the recipe are always welcome too!