LENTIL AND MUSHROOM EMPANADAS

Ingredients

For the ’empanadas’

• 300g closed cup mushrooms
• 400g tinned green lentils, drained
• 2 x 320g sheets shortcrust pastry (use pastry made without butter for a vegan recipe)
• 8 pitted black olives
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the green salsa

• 1 avocado
• Juice and zest of a lime
• 1 green chilli
• 4 tbsp coriander leaves
• 2 tsp olive oil

For the chilli ketchup

• 75g tomato ketchup
• 1 tsp chilli flakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200c
2. Make the salsa by blitzing together the Ingredients in a mini food processor, or chopping finely by hand. Set aside in a serving bowl
3. For the ketchup, mix the Ingredients together, put into a small dish and set aside
4. Heat a sauté pan with a little olive oil and cook the onions and peppers until soft. Remove from the pan to a bowl
5. Blitz the mushrooms in a food processor, or dice finely by hand, and add to the sauté pan with a dash of oil. Cook on a medium-high heat until the liquid has evaporated. Put in a colander and press a little with a wooden spoon to remove any excess liquid
6. Add the drained lentils, cumin, onion and olives back to the pan with the mushrooms and cook for a minute. Turn off the heat and leave to cool a little
7. Cut 4 circles from each sheet of pastry and put a large spoonful of the mushroom blend in the centre. Fold over and crimp closed with a fork. Brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden
8. Serve with the salsa and ketchup