Comforting Lentil Pastitsio

A lovely warming vegetarian option for the traditional Greek Lasagne. The weather this week in August has been pretty wet & miserable so something comforting while we wait for the sun to return was needed. I have been making this for a long time, the first time I had it was at my Auntie’s and she still makes it taste better than mine…does she have a secret ingredient? I have modified to my taste so I am not sure who to credit for this recipe.

• Fry together for 5 mins…

1 x tablespoon olive oil

1 x onion roughly chopped

2 x garlic cloves roughly chopped

1 x green Pepper

8 x mushrooms roughly chopped

• Add to the pan for 25 minutes- until lentils are soft…

8oz brown Lentils

1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes/ or pasata

1 x tbspn tomato puree

1/2 tspn dried oregano

1/2 tspn ground cinnamon

1 x cinnamon stick

3/4-1pt vegetable stock (1/4pt substitute red wine)

Sea salt & black pepper

• Meanwhile make up 1pt of bechemel sauce- I use spelt or wholemeal flour.

• Prepare 8-10oz Macaroni.

• Layer 1/2 lentils, macaroni then sauce- repeat with the remainder adding 1 x egg beaten into the last layer of bechemel.

• Finally top with some crumbled feta & some grated cheddar.

• Bake at 190c for 20 minutes or until top crispy & golden.