I do so love a pie.

I think it's the fact it's almost a meal in itself with the pastry matching so well with any gravy or sauce inside.

This pie is no exception. The filling is so lovely and rich and the filo pastry top here is like the best puff pastry ever. The messiest but best pastry ever. 

If you cant get filo the ordinary puff or shortcrust will work just as well.

Would go really well with a side of mash.

Special Equipment - Pie Dish

Serves 6 (generous portions)

Price per portion:

£1.56

Ingredients:

8 shallots 

olive oil 

6 garlic cloves 

750g chestnut mushrooms 

salt and pepper 

2 x 400g tin of green lentils 

2 tbsp brown rice miso paste 

2 tbsp tomato purée 

4 tbsp apple sauce 

2 bay leaves 

330ml pale ale 

3 tbsp plain flour 

3 thick sprigs of fresh thyme 

8 sheets of vegan filo pastry 

Method:

Peel and slice the shallots. 

Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a shallow ovenproof casserole pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallots and fry for 6 minutes, stirring frequently until golden. 

Meanwhile, peel and chop the garlic cloves. Add them to the pan and fry for 2 minutes. 

Slice the mushrooms and add them to the pan with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Fry for 20 minutes. 

Drain and rinse the lentils and add them to the pan along with the miso paste, tomato purée, apple sauce, bay leaves, pale ale and flour. Pick the leaves off the thyme and throw them in. 

Give everything a good stir and bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6. P

Put the sheets of filo on top of the pie one at a time, brushing each sheet with olive oil as you go and rotating the angle of placement each time. Then scrunch the edges of the filo back into the pie and brush the top sheet with a little oil. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the filo is golden brown.