Vegetable Casserole with Herb Dumplings

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1.4kg (3lb) selection vegetables,
  • cut into bite sized pieces
  • (choose from, onions, leeks,
  • carrots, butternut squash,
  • celery, parsnips, celeriac,
  • mushrooms, peppers)
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsps dried oregano
  • 2 tsps paprika
  • 4cm (1½in) piece fresh ginger,
  • finely diced
  • 1 x 400g (14oz) tin of butter beans,
  • drained and rinsed
  • 2 x 690ml (1pt 7floz) jars of
  • tomato passata
  • 150ml (5fl oz) water
  • salt and pepper
  • For the dumplings
  • 200g (7oz) gluten-free flour
  • 1/4 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/2 level tsp gluten free baking powder
  • 75g (3oz) chilled butter or coconut oil
  • 110g (4oz) gluten-free oats
  • 1 level tsp mustard powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 170 -225ml (6-8fl oz) water

This really tasty vegetarian casserole from Easy Tasty Healthy can also be served as an accompaniment to meat dishes. It is best cooked in the oven, rather than a slow cooker, as the vegetables need to be chunkier than in a meat casserole and would take too long to cook.

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan), gas mark 4.

2. Place all the casserole ingredients (except the salt and pepper) in a large casserole dish and mix to combine, using the water to wash out the passata jars.

3. Cover with a lid and cook on the middle shelf of the oven for about 1¾ hours.

4. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a bowl and rub in the butter or coconut oil using your fingertips (you can mix the flour and fat in a food processor if you prefer). Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix to combine.

5. Mix the lemon juice or vitamin C powder with 170ml (6fl oz) of water and add to the dry ingredients. Mix quickly to combine, adding more water if needed, to make a very soft, sticky dough

6. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place rough tablespoons of the dough on top of the casserole – the mixture should make about eight dumplings. (You can roll the dough into balls using floured hands, if you prefer, though this isn’t necessary.)

7. Return the dish to the oven, covered, for another 30 minutes or until the dumplings are risen and soft.