Shepherd's Big Purple Vegetable Pie

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6


• 2 large potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled


• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter


• salt and pepper


• 4 fluid ounces yogurt


• 1/2 cup freshly-minced chives


• 1/2 cup freshly-minced parsley


• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter


• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions


• 1 clove garlic, crushed


• 1 stalk celery, finely-minced


• 12 ounces chopped mushrooms


• 1 (1 lb) eggplant, cut into small cubes


• 1 green bell pepper, minced


• 1/4 teaspoon thyme


• 1/2 teaspoon basil


• 1/2 teaspoon oregano


• 1 cup raw peas (fresh or frozen)


• 1/2 cup packed grated cheddar cheese


• 3 tablespoons wheat germ


• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar


• extra cheese, for topping


• paprika

Recipe

• 1 cook the potatoes (in their skins) in boiling water until soft.


• 2 drain and mash with butter, salt, pepper, yogurt, chives and parsley; set aside.


• 3 in a large, heavy skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in 1½ tbsp of butter, with salt and pepper, until the onions are soft (5-8 minutes).


• 4 add the celery, mushrooms, and eggplant.


• 5 cook over low heat, stirring occasionally.


• 6 when the eggplant is cooked through (and this will happen more quickly if you cover the skillet between stirrings), add the green pepper, herbs, and peas.


• 7 continue cooking about 5 minutes longer.


• 8 remove from heat; toss with cheese, wheat germ, and vinegar.


• 9 spread this mixture into a buttered deep-dish casserole.


• 10 spread the mashed potatoes on top, as a crust.


• 11 sprinkle extra cheese plus some paprika on top.


• 12 bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350°f oven, for 35 minutes.