Italian veggie cottage pie

• olive oil↗4 tbsp tbsp
• aubergines↗2

  cut into chunks

• large garlic cloves↗2

  crushed

• sundried tomatoes↗16

  roughly chopped, plus 1 tbsp of their oil

• dried oregano↗2 tsp tsp
• spinach↗400g g

  washed

• plain flour↗50g g
• milk↗400ml ml
• cheddar↗125g g

  grated, plus extra to top

• ready-made mashed potato800g g

  (fresh not frozen)

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, lidded frying pan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the aubergine, in two batches, over a high heat for 4-5 mins until golden, adding extra oil as you need to. Return all the aubergine to the pan with the garlic, tomatoes and 1 1/2 tsp oregano and cook for 1 min. Stir in the spinach, put the lid on the pan and leave for a few mins to wilt.

2. 2

   Add the flour and stir through until combined. Pour in the milk, stir gently and bring to the boil. Bubble for a few mins, then stir in the cheese and season. Cook until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.

3. 3

   Mix the mash with the remaining oregano and spread over the filling. Scatter over a little more grated cheese and bake for 10-15 mins until golden. The top can also be grilled rather than baked, but keep an eye on it as you may need to reduce the cooking time.