Chef Derek Sarno

Derek Sarno

LIVING ON THE VEG

Plant pioneer Derek Sarno shares a crowd-pleasing centrepiece packed with layers of umami flavour

With layers of sweet potato, a creamy cashew sauce and a crispy onion topping, this plant-based pie ticks all the boxes. ‘This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m entertaining. I like to serve it in the middle of the table and let everyone help themselves,’ says Derek. The key? Cutting the sweet potato slices as thinly as possible. ‘That’s what gives you those wicked layers, and allows the potatoes to really soften in the sauce.’

M I S O S W E E T P O TAT O P I E W I T H C R I S P Y O N I O N S

Serves 8 Takes 1 hr 45 mins plus cooling Cost per serve 66p

100g cashews 4 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole 100g carrots, scrubbed and roughly chopped 650ml unsweetened soya milk-alternative 1 tbsp white miso paste 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 2 tsp sea salt flakes 1½ tsp ground black pepper ½ tsp smoked paprika ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 2cm piece ginger, peeled and grated 1 lime, juiced 5g fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped 2kg sweet potatoes, peeled 2 small onions, very thinly sliced 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp for greasing

1 Put the cashews, garlic and carrots in a medium saucepan, cover with 1ltr of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 mins until all the ingredients are soft. Remove from the heat, drain and rinse. Tip into a blender with 4 tbsp of the soya drink and blend to a paste, then slowly add the remaining soya drink while the machine is running until fully incorporated and smooth. In a small bowl, mix together the miso, yeast, seasoning, spices, ginger, lime juice and rosemary with 4 tbsp of the cashew sauce, then add to the rest of the sauce in the blender and blitz until combined. 2 Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C. Slice the sweet potatoes as thinly as you can using a mandolin or potato peeler. Toss the slices with half of the sauce in a large bowl to coat. 3 Grease a 22 x 30cm ovenproof dish with the 1 tsp oil and spread out the potato slices and sauce evenly throughout the dish, keeping the slices as neat as possible and the top layer level. Pour the remaining sauce over the top. 4 Mix the onions with the olive oil, then spread evenly over the top and cover loosely with foil, trying to not let the foil touch the onions. 5 Bake for 45 mins until tender throughout and a skewer goes easily through the potato. Uncover and roast for a further 15-20 mins to brown the top and crisp the onions. Remove from the heat and leave to rest for 20 mins, then slice and serve.

Each serving contains

Energy Fat Saturates

Sugars Salt 1500kJ 355kcal 11g 2g 17g 1.2g 18% 15% 11% 19% 20%

of the reference intake. See page 105. Carbohydrate 59g Protein 9g Fibre 11g 1 of your 5-a-day; low in saturated fat; source of vitamin C PHOTOGRAPHY KRIS KIRKHAM FOOD STYLING ELLA TARN PROP STYLING MORAG FARHQUHAR