Turkish Spiced Lentil Pastry Pie With Herby Bulgur

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7

Peel and finely dice the shallots

Mash the beluga lentils in a large bowl to form a rough paste

Add the diced shallots, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, and chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!)

Season with a very generous pinch of salt and pepper and mix thoroughly to combine (clean hands is the best way!)

Dust your work surface with a generous sprinkling of flour

Unwrap the puff pastry and roll it out to approx. 0.5cm thickness with a rolling pin and cut into 2 [4]

Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper and add the pastry

Divide the lentil mixture into 2 [4] balls and add 1 to the middle of each pastry

Pull the pastry corners over the lentil balls to form a sealed parcel

Turn the pastry parcels over so that the sealed edges are underneath

Sprinkle over the nigella seeds (gently press them in with your hands!)

Put the tray in the oven for 25 min or until the pastry is golden and the lentils are warmed through – these are your Turkish spiced lentil pastry pies

Whilst the pies are in the oven, boil a kettle

Add the bulgur wheat to a pot with plenty of boiled water and a pinch of salt

Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 7-9 min or until tender with a slight bite

Once cooked, drain and return to the pot

Peel and finely chop (or grate) half [all] the garlic

Tip: Cooking for 2? Save the remaining garlic for another recipe!

Combine the chopped garlic with the mayo, 1 tsp [2 tsp] cold water and 1 tbsp [2 tbsp] olive oil in a small bowl – this is your garlic mayo

Chop the tomato[es] roughly

Top, tail, peel and grate the carrot[s]

Trim, then slice the spring onion[s] finely

Combine the grated carrot, chopped tomato and sliced spring onion with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl – this is your carrot & tomato salad

Strip the mint leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems

Chop the parsley finely, including the stalks

Mix the chopped herbs through the cooked bulgur – this is your herby bulgur