Eggs are used to bind a dish and, when whipped incorporate air, making a cake or pudding very light

Vegan egg replacement powders are available from health food shops. These can be useful, especially for foods like meringues. Many recipes can be adapted using one of the suggestions below. Just remember to bear in mind what the final dish is, ie is it sweet or savoury and add an appropriate substitute

Replacement for one egg:

• 1 tbsp soya flour and 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp arrowroot, 1 tbsp soya flour and 2 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp flour, ½ tbsp shortening, ½ tsp baking powder and 2 tsp water
• 50g tofu blended with the liquid portion of the recipe
• ½ large banana, mashed
• 50 ml white sauce

Alternative raising agents:

• self-raising flour
• add extra oil and raising agent – for example baking powder
• use about 2 heaped tsp baking powder per cake
• instead of baking powder, use ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 dessertspoon cider vinegar – good for chocolate cakes
• sift the flour and other dry ingredients, then gently fold into the liquid to trap air

Alternative binding agents:

• soy milk
• mashed banana
• plain silken tofu
• soya cream
• sweet white sauce (soya milk, Vegan margarine, sugar and cornflour)
• agar-agar – vegetarian alternative to gelatine

Ingredients

3 oz dried black-eyed beans, pre-soaked and drained
3 oz green split peas – rinsed
3 oz green lentils – rinsed
2 oz peeled carrots
2 oz peeled small white turnip
2 oz peeled celery
1 large onion, peeled and diced
8 oz tomato frito
2 oz butter
2 large tomatoes
1 glass of red wine
1 tbs fresh mixed herbs – any from sage/rosemary/thyme/parsley – chopped finely
Salt and pepper

For the topping:

1½ lb potatoes – peeled and quartered
2 oz butter – softened
2 tablespoons milk
½ onion – finely grated
1 oz Manchego Cheese – grated
Salt and black pepper

Oval or round baking dish 9 inches in diameter and 2 inches deep, lightly buttered.

Method:

Wash the black eyed beans under cold running water and discard any broken or damaged beans. Put them into 2 pints of cold water and leave to soak overnight.

Put the beans into a saucepan with the split peas and lentils. Add 1½ pints boiling water and salt, cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes, or until the pulses have absorbed the water and are soft. Remove them from the heat and mash them a little with a fork.

Pre-heat the 190 degrees Celsius of Gar Mark 5

Put the potatoes on to cook in boiling salted water.

To prepare the vegetables – peel, roughly chop and put into a food processor and process into small pieces. Put the butter into a large frying pan and melt over a low/medium heat add the vegetables and cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes – or until softened and are very lightly tinged golden brown at the edges. Add the red wine and tomato frito and reduce slightly.

Place the tomatoes into a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave for around a minute and strain. Run under cold water for a few seconds and transfer back to the bowl. The skins should come off quite easily. Thinly slice the tomatoes and put to one side.

Combine the pulses, vegetables, herbs, salt and black pepper to taste and spoon the mixture into a lightly buttered baking dish. Arrange the tomato slices on the top.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain and transfer to a bowl. Add the butter and milk and whisk until smooth.

Spread the potato over the ingredients in the baking dish and sprinkle with the grated Manchego Cheese and grated onion.

Bake the pie for around 20 minutes in the middle of the oven – or until the top is golden brown.