Name: Spring nut roast
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 large onion finely chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 garlic cloves crushed; 50g toasted pine nuts; 800g green lentils rinsed and drained; 150g mixed nuts (walnuts and brazil nuts work well); 25g pumpkin or sunflower seeds; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 tsp sesame seeds; 2 tsp sumac; 2 eggs lightly beaten; 50g soft white breadcrumbs; a small bunch flat-leaf parsley finely chopped; ½ a small bunch oregano leaves picked and chopped; 150g feta crumbled, plus 50g to serve; tzatziki to serve; rice-stuffed tomatoes or peppers, or gigantes plaki to serve

A nut roast topped with crumbled feta next to a bowl of tomatoey beans on a white board with a wooden background

1 large onion
finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves
crushed
50g toasted pine nuts
800g green lentils
rinsed and drained
150g mixed nuts
(walnuts and brazil nuts work well)
25g pumpkin or sunflower seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 tsp sumac
2 eggs
lightly beaten
50g soft white breadcrumbs
a small bunch flat-leaf parsley
finely chopped
½ a small bunch oregano
leaves picked and chopped
150g feta
crumbled, plus 50g to serve
tzatziki
to serve
rice-stuffed tomatoes or peppers, or gigantes plaki
to serve

Method

step 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Fry the onion in the olive oil for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and pine nuts, and cook for 1 minute, then transfer to a bowl and leave to cool for a few minutes.
step 2
Pat the lentils dry with kitchen paper, then transfer to a food processor with the pine nuts, mixed nuts and seeds. Pulse a few times until coarsely chopped. Tip into a bowl and add the oregano, sesame seeds, sumac, eggs and breadcrumbs. Fold again until it forms a thick chunky paste. Add the herbs and feta, and fold in once or twice until the feta has just been incorporated. Spoon the mixture into an oiled and lined 900g loaf tin, and pack down the mixture with the back of a spoon.
step 3
Cover with foil and roast for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for another 20 minutes. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then flip the loaf out onto a baking tray. Scatter over the remaining 50g of feta, drizzle with some olive oil and a pinch of oregano, sumac, sesame seeds and chilli flakes, if using. Roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the feta is golden tinged and crisp. Carve and serve in chunky portions with tzatziki and rice-stuffed tomatoes or peppers, or gigantes plaki.