Cottage Cheese pie

"This is a simple vegetarian  variation on the Shepard's pie, which my mom and aunt came up with and is a much loved family  favorite for the last 40 years. Plan it as a hearty vegetarian side dish or a vegetarian main course served with a fresh salad and crusty bread "

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese mixture

• 250 grams cottage cheese ( chopped in 1/2 inch cubes)
• 3 cloves garlic (diced finely)
• 2 medium onions (diced finely)
• 3 tomatoes (chopped finely)
• 1 capsicum(chopped finely)
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp garam masala 
• Salt to taste

Mashed potato mix

• 300 grams potato 
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 - 5 tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In 1 tbsp oil stir fry garlic and onions till just translucent
2. Add capsicum and stir fry for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, the ketchup and salt,cook them for a couple of minutes till tomatoes are softened
3. Add the cottage cheese, the garam masala and cook it for 2 minutes till it is all incorporated
4. Layer the cottage cheese mixture in the bottom of a baking dish ( square  7 inch)
5. Make mashed potatoes with all the ingredients
6. Layer the mashed potato mix on top of the cottage cheese mix, such that there should be 2/3rd of cottage cheese topped with 1/3rd of mashed potato mix
7. Bake in pre-heated oven (180 deg C) for half an hour till you get a nice brown crust

Tip:

• The pie can be pre-prepared till step no 6 and covered with cling film and refrigerated till bake time
• All vegetables should be stir-fried rather quickly so they retain a bite