MEDITERRANEAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Mediterranean Shepherd's Pie image

Yield serves 6 to 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

5 cups peeled and diced butternut squash (roughly a 1/2-pound squash)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cups fresh leafy greens, stemmed and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove peeled and smashed
2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup walnuts, pulsed in a food processor until coarsely ground
5 anchovy fillets, minced
1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Zest of 1 lemon

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Toss the squash with salt and pepper and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Arrange it in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until the squash is very soft, about 50 minutes. Stir occasionally. Let the squash cool and purée it in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and set aside.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the greens and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, chickpeas, walnuts, and anchovies. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Transfer the chickpea mixture to a 10-inch round glass baking dish, and spread the squash purée evenly over the top. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the squash in a thin layer, then drizzle with the 1 remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake until the bread crumbs are lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
To make the gremolata, combine the parsley, zest, and smashed garlic clove in a food processor, and grind to a coarse meal. Set aside in a small dish. Serve the pie in slices with the gremolata scattered on top.