If you're stuck on what to cook for dinner tonight, try this tasty turkey and sweet potato pie recipe that's guaranteed to please the whole family
With her child-friendly healthy cookbook, Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food, nutritional health coach and author Lizzie King offers easy family recipes that are full of flavour - with simple ingredients and great ideas for everything from a healthy brunch to a busy dinner party. Here's her go-to recipe for a turkey and sweet potato pie that'll work whatever the season...
"This deliciously homely and fragrant pie came about after I had my first baby. So that we could have a Christmas drinks party with a newborn, I devised these individual festive pies perfect for everyone to eat on the hoof. They were the bomb, and I ended up making them non-stop for months. I’ve adapted the recipe here to make one large pie but it can easily be made in ramekins for individual portions."
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
2 celery sticks, finely sliced
2 carrots, quartered lengthways and finely sliced
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
400g minced turkey, white and dark meat
2 tbsp tomato pure
250ml chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp cornflour mixed to a paste with 2 tbsp water
coriander leaves, to garnish
FOR THE TOPPING
750g sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
2. Place the sweet potatoes for the topping on the uppermost rack in the oven with a baking tray below to catch any drips. Cook for 40–60 minutes, until cooked perfectly and soft to the touch.
3. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
4. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish, adding the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and ground cumin, and sauté over medium heat for 7–10 minutes until softened.
5. Turn the heat up to high and tip in the turkey mince. Move the mince around the pan as it sizzles,
breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned.
6. Add the tomato purée, stock and cornflour mixture, and combine well. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
7. Turn off the heat and set aside.
8. To make the topping, peel the sweet potatoes and mash the flesh in a large bowl.
9. Add the butter or coconut oil and stir until creamy.
10. Use a spatula to smooth the mash over the turkey mixture, then fork scores on the surface in whatever pattern you like.
11. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden at the edges.
12. Scatter the surface with roughly torn coriander leaves to serve.
Recipe by Lizzie King, mother of 3 and author of ‘Lizzie Loves Healthy Family Food’, £13.60 .